Heroic Inheritors
by TheTwins1-2
Summary: Years after Midoriya "Deku" Izuku defeated the dreadful successor of All for One and disappeared, a new generation of students attend UA Academy in hopes of becoming the next great hero. But when a world class criminal comes to Japan and uses them as a PR stunt for his products, they must rise to the occasion and overcome this threat. *PS *OC Heavy *Grand Crossover *AO3 XPost
1. Chapter 1: Bearing His Will

**I own nothing.** **Warning, may contain Out of Character moments.**

* * *

Dagoba Municipal Beach Park, evening.

Standing upon the sands and listening to the waves, a white haired girl stared out to the horizon as her mind wandered to thoughts of a certain man. A particularly cold breeze for the season blew by, sending her back to a time where she felt weak and exposed. She closed her eyes and his words and warmth came back to her…

 _Don't worry Eri-chan… I'm here now…_

Before any tears could fall out, the girl heard footsteps that stopped right next to her. But there was no need to panic, she recognized them and the person they belonged to.

"Kouta, it's not nice to sneak up on people." She said, turning to the person. Grouchy, black hair, and wearing a horned cap, Eri didn't think she would make friends with someone like Kouta. But like her, he bore a burden in his youth that was solved by that person. And that connection allowed her to befriend the normally standoffish boy, becoming inseparable ever since they met.

"I didn't want to bother you, looked like you were thinking about that idiot."

"Was it that obvious?"

"Yeah. Why else would you be here? Got you something to drink." Kouta said, holding a can of soda to the girl. Eri smiled and took the drink, her hand brushed his and the boy's face lit up slightly. She giggled at the sight and caused Kouta to pull his cap over his face, a pointless act knowing his blush was already seen.

To be honest, Eri didn't know why they weren't dating yet. They already spend so much time together and apparently, everyone else could see how they look at each other. She did like the boy that way and Eri knew the feeling was mutual, but maybe they weren't ready for that kind of thing yet. After all, tomorrow was already the next big step in their lives, no need to jump the gun so fast. Speaking of which…

"Did you pack everything?"

"Obviously, otherwise I wouldn't be here. Auntie's taking care of the rest. You?"

"I'm ready. Sensei's just dealing with my… Other things."

"It still freaks me out that a cute girl like you surrounds yourself with something like that. I mean seriously, GUNS!?" That look of confusion he shows always got a laugh out of her, since Kouta usually wasn't fazed by anything. At least, anything that didn't involve her, the hero who saved them, and his deceased parents.

"I'm not allowed to use my quirk, so I need them to fight. But I suppose a cute boy like you won't get that." She teased. Kouta simply hid behind his hat, despite knowing how pointless the action was.

"I get it… No need to poke me like that… But you know you're going to get weird looks, right? The amount of questions I had to answer on the day of the entrance exam was stupid."

"Don't pretend you weren't proud of me! Cause I know you were!" Eri accused, smile growing wider. The poor boy still couldn't put up any kind of defense against her, she was just being that cute.

"It was still stupid… But did you had to be all flashy and take out the Zero Pointer too?"

"We're Heroes remember? No matter who they are, if they're a threat to people, we should stop them. He would've done the same."

"Midoriya? Yeah, he would…" Kouta sighed. The two went silent, staring out at the horizon as a warmer breeze blew by. Eri shuffled nervously, remembering the day she first met the Hero in green. It was a memory she held tightly onto, even more so than the memory of her rescue. As it was that warmth he shared that gave her hope and allowed her to believe in Humanity again.

And now that memory inspired Eri to become a Hero. To become the warmth that he gifted her with and pass that onto those who needed it. She then began to feel a pit form in her stomach as her shoulders begun to tense up, those were some big shoes to fill…

"Tomorrow we'll be attending his Alma Mater, U.A. Academy. I just hope we'll be as good as he was…"

Kouta placed a hand on her shoulder and gave her a reassuring squeeze. Eri looked at him and saw the burning determination dwelling in his eye, dispelling any uncertainty she felt at that moment. And with a laugh, she opened the can of soda in her other hand as Kouta did the same with his.

"Thank you Kouta, I guess I'm still comparing us to him." Eri said, looking down at her carbonated drink with a soft smile.

"Who wouldn't? The guy went out in a blaze of glory that sealed his place as THE GREATEST HERO! Stop trying to set the bar too damn high and just do you like I'll do me. And if you ever need me to, I'll be there to do you." Kouta replied before taking a long sip. It was then he realized what just came out of his mouth and coughed up his drink.

"No wait!"

"Too late! You said it!" Eri laughed, a blush forming on both their faces. The boy completely turned his back on the girl, muttering curses at himself as his face continually burned with shame. Eri just took her can and raised it towards the boy, still smiling wide and blushing up a storm.

"To the future." She said. Without turning, Kouta raised his can towards hers and tapped it.

"To the future…" He repeated. And the two took a long drink, spending their last night together as normal middle school graduates.

Because, as of now, Eri and Kouta are UA students and Heroes-in-Training!

* * *

 **And that is Chapter 1 of this new story!**

 **But, I think I have a problem...**

 **"What's that?"**

 **I can't stop thinking of ideas I want to write about! After taking a break from the last one, I wanted to go back to one of the older fics I said I was going to get back to... But lo and behold, I was forced to write chapter one and I was hooked! It's a curse!  
**

 **"You know other writers would kill for that kind of thing right?"**

 **I know, but I guess I'm letting down some of my other readers since I told them I was going to get back to it.**

 **"Then write like your life depends on it!"**

 **I already am. Anyway, here begins a new story that centers around Eri and Kouta surviving their time as UA students. It'll be a mostly original story with some parallels to the Canon series, like certain events being mirrored before I break off into a new direction. Also it's going to be a mess of OCs and transplants from other series, now I know how Horikoshi feels about making characters because it's a nightmare. But I'll let you decide how well I did when we get to that point.**

 **For now, just tell me how I'm doing with these two dorks. Also how do you feel about me pairing these two? I got the idea after encountering the minuscule amount of fan art of the two interacting, which evolved into this. It's strange I know, but that's what happens when you encounter good art.  
**

 **All in all, just leave your questions, comments, and concerns in the review box and I'll get back to you as soon as possible.**

 **And that's all I have for this week. Next chapter, we'll be going straight to UA on move-in day, since the school still have the Dorms as it would've been a waste to demolish them.**

 **"OC number 1 also shows up there. So look forward to that."**

 **And if you're wondering, the person in quotes is named Eris. She's a weirdo who invades my other works after I finished a certain Fic.**

 **"Hi, I accept payment in paper or hugs."**

 **But I've kept you here long enough. So...**

 **Until next time. T1.**


	2. Chapter 2: Shining Influence

**I own nothing.** **Warning, may contain Out of Character moments.**

* * *

Eri and Kouta once more found themselves staring at the statue that stood outside the UA dorms. The first time they saw it was 11 years back, during a time when both were still but vulnerable children. As the chaos of move in day swirled around them, their eyes focused on the features of the statue, memories coming back to them.

 _I'll save you no matter what…_

Midoriya "Deku" Izuku stood tall, immortalized in fine marble, and basked in the incandescent morning light. Despite being inanimate, there was something about the statue that seemed alive and the two didn't what it was. Maybe it was that audacious smile of his…

"Kouta, everything is set."

The boy turned and saw his aunt, Sosaki Shino or Mandalay of the Wild Pussycats, walking towards them. There was a man walking with her, he had white hair, a gun holstered at his hip, and a completely bored expression on his face. Eri's face lit up upon seeing him.

"Sensei!"

The girl then proceeded to tackle hug the guy, nearly knocking him over had he not braced himself for it. Kouta just snorted at the sight, seeing Eri act childish around her teacher always brought some level amusement to him. His name was Kurt Gewitter or Bulletstorm, a foreign Hero who came to Japan a few years ago on a special assignment. He was the one who taught Eri how to use guns and other necessary skills, like CQC and first aid.

"Hey there, you little scamp. Enjoying your first day?" The man said, patting the girl on the head.

"Kurt, tomorrow is their first day of class" Shino replied.

"Eh, close enough. Everything you need for the years ahead is up in your room, can't help you unpack though." Kurt replied before turning to Eri.

"I know, I've got it covered. And Kouta's here to help me if I need him."

"Really? Just make sure he keeps his hands to himself."

"Are you suggesting my nephew is something I don't approve of?" Shino's glare was sharp enough to make the man retreat a step, knowing full well that he brought out the kitty's claws. But that still wasn't enough to stop the foreign Hero from running his mouth.

"I'm just saying, the boy is at the right age. It's healthy for him to think about-"

Mandalay let out a growl, silencing the Hero from continuing his line of thought. Kouta didn't expect this from his aunt, who is usually so calm and collected. But he couldn't deny that the growl she let out was completely and utterly chilling.

"Kouta, I know you're a good kid. But please try not to live up to this idiot's expectations." Shino said, turning to her nephew.

"How can I? I'll be too busy living up to his." Kouta gestured to the statue of Midoriya. Shino looked at the statue and gave a smile, knowing that he was the best role model for both her nephew, Eri, and the new students of UA.

"Do you remember when you first met him?" She asked. Kouta immediately covered his face with his hat, despite knowing that both Eri and his aunt could tell he was ashamed.

"Please don't remind me…"

"Was it that bad?" Kurt asked.

"Bad, but that boy changed Kouta's life forever. Eri too, Deku was a true hero to everyone." Shino said.

"Hence the statue. Sounds like you two set the bar really high."

"We'll manage Sensei. We have each other and our classmates to help us." Eri replied.

"Of course, no one could do everything alone. So try not to be so standoffish Kouta and make some friends outside of Eri. Who knows, you may be forming a team with them in the future." Shino added.

"I got it, I got it. No need to be a broken record."

"Good, now we'll be heading off. We're needed in an investigation."

"Investigation?" Eri asked.

"Kidnappings, the reason why I've been sent over in the first place. It's very similar to what happened back in Germany a few years ago, from the same notorious arms dealer no less. But that's our business to handle, you two just focus on your studies." Kurt replied.

"Yes sir." The two said in unison.

"Good. Now let's head off my Pretty Kitty, crime scenes don't investigate themselves." Kurt proceeded to dodge the imminent strike from Mandalay and sprinted off into the distance, leaving behind a flustered Heroine and two confused teens.

"I told him not to call me that…"

"Is there something we should know Auntie?" Kouta asked with a smirk.

"Do you want to talk about your own relationship with Eri?"

"You know what? I'm good."

"Exactly. Remember, if you need anything, just give me a call." Shino gave one last hug to her nephew before heading off. She turned around and yelled out something to the both of them.

"Good luck with the year!"

"Thank you!" Eri shouted back. And with that, she was gone from their sights, leaving the two at the statue of the greatest hero. They turned to each other and gave a silent nod to one another, communicating their thoughts in an instant. Eri and Kouta turned to the statue of Deku once more and spoke a prayer, hoping that somewhere out there, he was listening and will continue to watch over them.

And with that, they entered the 1A dormitories, ready to unpack and settle into their new lives.

* * *

 **And that was Chapter 2!**

 **I'm kind of tired, so I'll just keep this brief. What do you think of this chapter? I know it's a little short, but you should still leave your questions, comments and concerns in the usual place. All of it will help me improve my writing.  
**

 **Next chapter, we'll be meeting the Class of 1A.**

 **So, until next time. T1.**


	3. Chapter 3: The New 1A Part 1

**I only own my OCs, everything else belongs to their respective creators.** **Warning, may contain Out of Character moments.**

* * *

With a sigh of satisfaction, Eri looked upon her new room with pride. And though some may call it strange, she felt happy that she could call this place home. Glancing at her clock, she saw that it was almost six and decided it was about time to head down to the common room. Maybe someone was nice enough to prepare a meal for all of them. Eri opened her door…

Only to see someone fall flat on their face. For a brief moment, Eri found herself staring at the unfortunate soul before making haste to check on the person's condition.

"Are you okay?"

The girl on the floor got back onto her feet in record time, letting out a nervous giggle as a bashful smile formed on her face. Her brown hair swayed to her laughter and her red eyes looked anxiously at Eri.

"I'm fine, kind of tripped on nothing. Some first day luck huh?"

"Is this the worst thing that happened to you today?"

"Nah, a lot of stuff happened to me today. Like my stuff didn't come in on time, things were broken when they came in, and I almost lost my magical macguffin this morning!"

"Well… Something good's bound to happen now after all that."

"Exactly! No matter how badly today goes, there's always something good just waiting around the corner! Like making a new friend!"

Eri's eyes grew wide as those last few lines hit her. A new friend? She only just got here and someone wants to be her friend? The look on that girl's face told Eri that she wasn't a bad person, but it's still too sudden. But that slight doubt soon was overwhelmed by the joy that Eri felt.

"Really!?"

"Sure! You took the time to listen to my nonsense! That's an instant friend in my book! I'm Kagari Atsuko, but you could call me Akko!"

"Eri. It's nice to meet you Akko-chan."

"Nice to meet you too! Were you about to head down?"

"Yeah, I just finished unpacking. I'm hoping someone is nice enough to prepare some food for us."

"Me too… I skipped lunch because I was so busy making everything perfect…" Eri then heard the girl's stomach growl loudly, it sounded more like a snarling wolf than anything else. She couldn't help but crack a smile due to how weird it was… Though that changed when her own stomach began to howl. Akko let out a small laugh as Eri turned away in shame, feeling betrayed by her own body.

"Come on, let's see what they got down stairs."

Eri bashfully nodded and closed her room door as Akko made a mad dash towards the stairs, leaping down the first set. Though that was followed quickly by a crash and a small cry of pain, causing Eri to run towards her new friend.

"Akko-chan! Are you okay!?"

That's when she saw Akko, face first in the tiles with her butt sticking up in the air. She gave a thumbs up before prying herself from the cold hard floor, awkwardly scratching the back of her head as though it was nothing more than a minor inconvenience. Completely ignoring the fact that her nose was bleeding and possibly broken.

"I'm good!"

"I think your nose is broken…" Eri said.

Akko winced when she poked at it, confirming that yes, it was broken. Though again, she didn't seem very concerned by it at all. She just took out a handle that then extended out like a baton, though it was much thinner and had a tiny green glow at its tip. And like a conductor, Akko made a few brisk movements before tapping her nose with it. A soft light enveloped it, slowly mending the injury and wiping the blood from her face. And just like that, Akko's face was looking normal once more.

"Magic…" Eri commented, still staring in wonder.

"It's my quirk… I'll explain it later. Right now, I'm hungry."

Akko began moving again, this time electing to walk down the stairs instead of jumping, before Eri quickly began following. When the duo hit ground floor, they were hit by an assortment of delicious smells. The two already could feel their mouths salivating and their feet shuffling towards the source. But the moment they reached halfway to the kitchen, Eri heard someone address them.

"I had the same face when I came down here. Apparently, a guy went into the kitchen and started to cook up a storm of smells." Was all he said when Eri snapped out of her trance and faced the stranger. Akko however was too focused on the smell and didn't register the new person, seeking the smell like a zombie searching for brains. The boy before Eri looked like he wouldn't stand out in a crowd… Despite having rainbow colored hair topping his head. He was just that plain and unassuming.

"Is he cooking for everyone?" She asked, jumping onto the subject.

"Oh yeah. Says it's a good way to bring us together, since we're practically going to be one big family."

"Family… I think I'll like that a lot."

"Me too, close friends always make a good family. The name's Eiga, yours?"

"Eri."

"Well Eri, it's a pleasure to meet you. Shall we check what our new resident chef is cooking up?"

She nodded with a smile and the two walked over to the mass that would be their new class. Eri then noticed Kouta, staying a few steps away from the crowd that clustered the cook. She approached him as he proceeded to face her upon hearing her footsteps.

"Kouta! Why are you standing over here?"

"You think I could get past this mob? Also, who's this guy and is that color even natural?" He replied before gesturing to the person with Eri, assuming his grouchy personality.

"The name's Eiga. And yes, this do is completely… Legit!" The man proceeded to run his hand through his flamboyant locks dramatically, impressing absolutely no one. Feeling the awkwardness in the air, Eiga quickly changed tune.

"Sorry, I have a habit of doing that every time someone questions my colors. But I must say, you're fairly hostile for a guy who has such a nice girlfriend."

Both began to blush heavily, with Kouta executing his go to reaction while Eri turned away and started fidgeting. This caused Eiga to tilt his head in confusion and stare at the flustered duo before opening his mouth again.

"You're not dating?"

"No…" Kouta said quietly but loud enough for others to hear.

"We're just really good friends…" Eri replied shyly.

"Bullshit!"

The three were thrown off by a new voice hitting their ears. And when they faced the source, a blond haired and green eyed girl was right next to them all. While this had startled them, Eri and Kouta were lucky enough that most of their peers were still entranced by the smells and sounds emanating from the kitchen. They wouldn't know what to do if they became the center of attention.

"And… You are?" Was all Eiga could say to the girl.

"Me? I'm Osoroshi Rei! Nice to me you!" She then stuck her hand out towards the three, awaiting an earnest handshake from anyone of the three.

"Umm… Nice to meet you too?" Eri replied, warily shaking the energetic girl's hand.

"What's bullshit?" Kouta asked, getting straight to the point.

"Oh you know… You and her… Sit tree… K-."

"If you finish that thought, I'm going to have to drown you…" Kouta interrupted, beads of water forming on his palms.

"Total tsundere. He's a keeper." Rei replied before whispering to Eri.

"But we're really not dating."

"You want to though! I could see it in your pretty eyes!"

Eri couldn't process a retort, neither could Kouta. They just stood there in disbelief, face turning more and more like a tomato. This unfortunately added more fuel to the fire known as Rei.

"You totally want to! I bet they'll be dating by the end of the term!" The girl then began nudging at Eiga's ribs with her elbow, clearly trying to coax a response out of him. Eri and Kouta, faces still flushed to the max, gave him a silent plea in hopes of gaining an ally. And while Eiga wanted to help them… The way the two acted all embarrassed was just too amusing and cute to simply let up. So as a result…

"Oh, what the Hell. I'd say they'll be dating at the end of two weeks. Maybe sneaking out for some 'scandalous sessions' by the end of the month."

"EIGA!" Eri screamed, feeling as though her white hair was being dyed by her blush. Kouta was in clear shock, his consciousness being clouded by thoughts he shouldn't be having about his close friend… At least not yet. Luckily for them, a boisterous shout emanated from the kitchen and drew in everyone's attention.

"DINNER TIME!"

The crowd of peers dispersed as the cook began carrying his dishes to the tables, with some electing to help. Once more, Eri was entranced by the smells that drifted from the contents on the plates. Rei, Eiga, and even Kouta also fell to the spell that the cook has casted. Only this time, the dishes' form and presentation could be seen, captivating its audience even further.

Light glittered and glistened off the various meats, vegetables breathed life with their vibrant colors, and the bread rolls had the right ratio of toasted tan and doughy white. It was a duet of sight and smell that had everyone in the room questioning… What would taste and texture add to this palatable palette of palpable perfection?

But before anyone could help themselves to the feast, another voice, this one older, commanding, yet gentle, attracted their attention. When the heroes in training turned, they saw a beautiful woman in formal wear. While under any normal circumstances the students would assume that this stranger was here to talk to them about something professional… They recognized her from her rather distinctive pony tail.

"Aren't you Creati!?" A girl asked excitedly. The vigor spread to the other students, filling them with the same glee and surprise. The heroine smiled and nodded, confirming their question.

"I am. But I must ask you to refer to me as Yaoyorozu-sensei starting now."

"You're going to be our homeroom teacher Momo nee-san?" Eri asked, stars and hope swimming in her eyes. Yaoyorozu walked over to the girl and patted her head, softly smiling before answering.

"Yes, Eri-chan."

"Nee-san!? She's your sister!?" Rei shouted, eyes nearly popping out of her skull.

"Whoa! You have a Pro for a Sis!?" Akko asked. The others seemed to be just as stunned by this revelation, looking back and forth between their new teacher and classmate. Kouta sighed, wondering to himself how did his future classmates ever drew that conclusion. This action didn't go unnoticed by Eiga and several others.

"What do you know about them dude?" Eiga asked, gesturing towards the teacher and Eri.

"A lot. The three of us met a long while back."

"About eleven years or so. But I must ask you two to refer to me as Sensei from now on. Do you think you could do that?" Yaoyorozu asked, looking at both Kouta and Eri.

"You know me." Kouta answered.

"Of course Momo nee – I mean, Yaoyorozu-sensei. It'll be a pleasure to learn from you again." Eri replied, giving off a warm smile.

"Good. Now, before I move onto official class business, why don't we enjoy the meal that your classmate has so graciously prepared... There's only 19 of you here, where's-?"

"Present."

They all turned to the person who had interrupted their teacher and were taken aback slightly by the boy who just suddenly appeared. But what was really distracting was his strangely shaped cotton candy colored hair, like there were three unique components to it. The boy ignored the stares as he approached the tables with food on it and grabbed a plate that was stacked nearby.

"Why is everyone idling about? Sensei gave us the okay to help ourselves to all of this."

That managed to get them moving and they all began swarming to the tables, carefully trying not to disrupt each other from obtaining the goods. The chef himself helped serve his creations to his classmates, an act that opens doors between strangers. Only when they began to disperse that Yaoyorozu helped herself to what her student had made, a little eager to taste it. And when the first bite was had… The noise coming from the dorm traveled all the way to UA's main building.

"DELICIOUS!"

Eri had to stop herself from savagely tearing into her plate, which took all of her will to muster any resistance, and allowed herself to look around. Her soon to be classmates were ravenously digging into their meals, any semblance of table manners gone. Even Momo ne – Yaoyorozu-sensei was struggling to hold back the primal need to down sweet sustenance with abandon.

She looked at Kouta and saw an image of a wolf tearing away pieces of a chicken. Akko was shoveling rice into her mouth the same way one digs up earth covering treasure. Eiga went full garbage disposal, dumping impossible amounts of savory contents down his throat. And Rei looked like she just died and gone to Heaven. Even that serious boy who showed up late was eating away at his plate with fervor.

The girl looked back at her plate once more, the smells and colors beckoning her once more to lose herself in culinary delight. She shrugged to herself and took another bite, sending her senses into a euphoric frenzy. And before anyone knew it, dinner time was over.

"I must say… Your cooking was better than the best chefs I know, well done." Yaoyorozu commented, facing the cook in question.

"Thank you Sensei, and I hoped you enjoyed your meal." He said with a bow.

"You're welcome, but now let's move on to official class business. As you know, everyone in this dorm shall be your classmates from this point on. They'll be your partners who'll support you in your time of need as well as your rivals who'll push you to do better. And though you've only just met today, the friendships and bonds you forge here shall last a lifetime. So let's start with the first step, introducing yourselves and your quirks to your peers."

"Finally! A chance to show off!" They all faced the blonde-haired boy with a large scar that spans across his face. The way he sits and presents himself made everyone think of him as a delinquent, his slightly condescending tone didn't really help his image.

"What's up punks! Joshima Ken's my name and I have a real wild power! Can I demonstrate Teach!?"

"Of course you can Joshima-san, that's what I intend when I said introducing your quirk. But try not to damage anything." Yaoyorozu answered. He grinned and from his pocket, he pulled out what looks like teeth and fitted them over his own. A tiny tattoo appeared on his cheek as his body began changing shape, startling some of his fellow heroes in training. Ken grew taller, muscular, and a lot hairier as he let out a primal roar, he now resembles more like a gorilla in clothing than a human.

"Kong Channel… I now have the strength of a gorilla and could throw people around easily."

"Wow! So you're an Animorph!?" Rei shouted, admiring the entire transformation.

"That's not all! I could be something else!"

The gorilla proceeded to change teeth, reverting himself back into regular Joshima, before he donned another set. This time, Ken's golden spikes turned silver and claws began sprouting from his fingertips.

"Wolf Channel… I'm now faster, have claws, and better sense of smell. I'm part wolf now." He said with a smirk.

"Aww… I was hoping for something cuddlier…" Rei grumbled.

"I see. So your animal power is determined by what teeth set you wear, it's quite diverse." Yaoyorozu commented.

"That's the gist of it Teach. So what do you punks think? Are you amazed?"

There was a nod of agreement going around, but a few didn't look particularly impressed. This irritated Ken and he called out one of them who looked particularly bored, the serious boy who appeared late.

"If you think your quirk is so special, then why don't you get up and show us!"

"Come on man, no need to get all pissy." Eiga said.

"Alright. But let me get this out there, I don't really care about all of this and would like to go back to my room. Could I after I present myself?" The boy said as he stood up before turning to their teacher.

"Are you sure you want that? Bonding with your fellow heroes is important in developing teamwork. An old classmate and I nearly failed a test because we didn't take the time to communicate our ideas to each other. The way you hold yourself reminds me of him, and I would hate it if you fell into the same pitfalls he did."

"And what happened to this old classmate of yours?"

"He realized his weakness and started to reach out to other people, learning how to work together and communicate his feelings. As a result, he is now the Number 2 Hero of Japan, Todoroki Shouto."

Besides a select few, the rest of the class looked stunned and were amazed by Momo's story. Mostly because she knows the ever cool and smoking hot number two hero, the People's Champion Shouto. Though that led to another interesting question concerning the Everything Hero…

"Did you know anyone else famous sensei?" One girl asked.

"Of course, I was part of a special generation of Heroes-in-Training. But let's save that story for another time, tonight is about you not me. So what do you think? I won't force you any further if you still want to go… But I think it'll be for the best if you learned a little about your classmates." Yaoyorozu said before facing the serious boy. He entered a contemplative state, thinking over thoughts unknown to anyone else. He then sighed and face looked at his classmates.

"I want this to be as short and as simple as possible. I'm Fujiki Yusaku, nice to meet you all… I guess. My quirk is something called Sketch Summoning and I'm able to give any drawing or painting a physical form. Pay close attention since I'm not going to show you again outside of training or battle."

Yusaku pulled out a lone card out of a deck case that was attached to his belt and showed its image to the others. It was named Bitron, a monster from the ever-popular card game Duel Monsters, and its holder took a deep breath before shouting out…

"I summon Bitron!"

The card glowed and before long, a small, round, and white colored robot with six wing like protrusions appeared, floating in the air next to Yusaku looking around with its big blue eyes on its screen. That incited more of a reaction out of the class compared to Ken's demonstration, which only agitated the delinquent more. And while Yusaku smirked at his classmate's misfortune, he then noticed that two people were getting too close to his creature.

"Can I… TOUCH HIM?" Rei asked, rather creepily.

"You may not. Should any of my summons be destroyed, I would be receiving some mental backlash. So, I would prefer it if you two stayed away from it unless you have a good reason to approach it, like in training or combat."

"We promise to be careful! He's just so cute!" The other girl squealed, orange pig tails bobbing from her excitement.

"No! Bitron return!" Yusaku shouted as the creature disappeared. Both the girls groaned in disappointed as Yusaku put away his card and sat back down. The one's sitting next to the boy gave him a few compliments and commented how cool his powers were. Unfortunately, he tuned them out and only payed attention to whoever was next to present themselves.

"Alright! Let's keep the show going! Hey peeps, the name's Satsuei Eiga! And I'm what some people say… The Ultimate Hero!" Eiga greeted excitedly. Some were curious while others groaned at his proclamation, most likely hearing that kind of boast before.

"Humble much? What's even your power? I bet it sucks." Ken replied with a scoff.

"I'm what people call… A Hero with A Thousand Faces… Well I think it's more accurate to say that I'm A Hero with a Thousand Powers."

"A thousand!?" Rei shouted, eyes popping out of her socket. Yusaku sighed and shook his head, feeling that he wasn't going to bed any time soon. Eri tilted her head in confusion while Kouta grumbled heavily, what a liar. The other began whispering between themselves before someone decided to point out the flaw in Eiga's statement.

"You could only have one, maybe two, quirks man. Stop lying and start telling us some truth."

"But it's true though, I could have a thousand powers. You see, whenever I finish a movie, book, or video game, something about them is stored in my brain for the rest of the month. And every hour, for 15 minutes, I randomly access and copy the powers and training of 3 protagonists from 3 different titles from my internal archive. For instance, right now I have powers of… Oh! Superman!" Eiga said excitedly.

He then proceeded to float off the ground much like the Last Son of Krypton, even mimicking the heroic stance for a quick laugh. And before anyone could raise another question, he began blowing his breath and everyone could feel the temperature of the room dropping slightly. That managed to convince a lot of people in the room that what he's saying is truth… Though a few still had their doubts.

"But do you have his nearly super endurance and indestructible body?" Yusaku asked calmly.

"That I do. Can I have a volunteer to test that theory!?"

"Wait! Hold on!" Yaoyorozu shouted, realizing that it was about to go too far. Before anyone could notice, Ken equipped one of his teeth sets and attempted to sink his claws into the man. Some screamed while others began preparing their phones… Only to see that underneath the torn cuts in Eiga's clothes were nothing but some unmarred skin and muscle. Ken however was gripping his fingers, claws broken and jagged from the attack.

"Fuck! That shit's no joke!"

"The Man of Steel doesn't joke around… And neither does Batman, but that's for another time." Eiga replied as he planted his feet back onto the ground.

"WHAT WERE YOU TWO THINKING!?"

The whole class covered their ears when Momo began aiming her exasperation and ire at Eiga and Ken. While no one was severely hurt, they could understand, from her – nay, anyone's perspective, how irresponsible those two are being with their abilities. And as a result, one of them has an injury before even any of their Hero training has begun!

"There's a reason why we don't use our quirks against each other outside of a controlled environment! Because injuries like this could happen! I know it's not that serious, but what if Eiga didn't have his hardened skin!? He could've have four serious lacerations across his body!"

"But aren't we Heroes Sensei? We'll be throwing ourselves into danger soon." Someone asked. She proceeded to turn her glare towards him, causing the boy to shrink in his seat.

"Yes, you're going to be Heroes… But there is a difference between on-duty danger and unnecessary danger. And that!?" She shouted as her hands gestured towards the still injured Ken. "That was unnecessary!"

Momo sighed, taking a deep breath to calm herself before turning to her student who still clutched at his claws.

"Do you need to go to the infirmary Joshima-San?"

"I'm good. I'll just have clipped nails when I leave this Channel. But I won't be able to use this claw for a week."

"Then think of it as part of your punishment for being so irresponsible."

"Part of?" Eiga asked. Both of them knew that something was coming. But given that it was still early in the year, their teacher wouldn't punish them too severely… Right?

"Since classes have yet to start, I can't briefly suspend you from our activities… But I can make you do all the dishes that were used tonight and clean the kitchen."

Ken and Eiga looked over towards the kitchen and could already see the number of plates that were stacked on top of the counter. They couldn't even imagine what else their cook had used to prepare the delicious feast the class ate. Ken groaned while Eiga shrugged, seemingly resigned to their scrap scrubbing fate. Before they moved to get started, the cook spoke up.

"Actually, could you give me a moment with the kitchen? I could cook something up for your injured hand."

"Do I look like a guy who has a comfort food?" Ken snarled. Some of their fellow classmates giggled at that suggestion, but a swift glare silence that.

"No, I mean it literally. And it'll be a good way to explain my quirk." The cook answered. Now that piqued everyone's curiosity, how is being in a kitchen a good way to explain his quirk? Unless…

"Does your quirk have something to do with cooking?" Eri asked.

"Oh God! Why didn't you say anything!? You didn't feed us trash did you!?" Someone asked in a panic.

"Then that was the most delicious trash I've ever tasted…" Akko commented, drooling at the memory of their dinner.

"No, that stuff was real. And yes, you are correct. But come, gather around the kitchen and I'll explain it in full."

The entire class, some more excited than others in seeing this quirk in action, rose and walked over towards the kitchen, looking from over the counter as the cook took out several ingredients, a blender, and a lone small pot. And after washing and drying his hands, he faced his audience and begun a talking like a TV chef.

"Good evening everyone, I am Chef Shokuji Ryo and tonight I'll be blending a protein rich shake that'll help heal and reinforce damaged nails. I am able to do this with my quirk, which is called Supplemental Cuisine, allowing me to dramatically impact how cooked foods affects the body and health of the consumer. If one uses an analogy, it's similar to how cooking affects a character in certain video games, providing buffs upon the consumption of a given meal."

"Like faster stamina regeneration or extra strength?" One girl asked as Ryo began preparing his dish.

"Exactly! But my quirk, through years of cooking, extends that by adding several layers of complexity. Timing, seasoning, accompaniments, cooking methods, and quality of ingredients are the five main factors that affect the results of my efforts. For instance, there will be a difference between a steak prepared with dry rub and steak prepared with marinade. And since I first manifested my quirk, I've developed these special eyes that allow me to see an ingredient's given effect. Kind of like what you see in The Elder Scrolls games where Alchemy ingredients tell you what they do."

"Then you have quite the number of possible combinations you could cook up… Does how raw an ingredient is factor into your cooking as well?" Yaoyorozu asked as her student deftly continued preparing. Ryo proceeded to throw some of the prepared vegetables into the boiling water… Only to remove it three minutes after putting it in.

"Yes Sensei, but it mostly changes the values of the properties. Using this raw egg as it is will give you more strength but has a chance to make you sick. Cooking it will replace the latter with a stamina boost but weaken the former. So I had to learn how to maximize all the positives while removing the negatives, resulting in a lot of mixing, matching, and experimenting."

The chef then threw the partially boiled vegetables, cracked the raw egg, sprinkled various seasonings into the blender, and a splash of unlabeled juice and activated it, the sounds of loud whirring consuming the entire first floor. And before long, a dark green juice in a tall glass was placed on the counter top in front of Ken.

"Drink up my beastly friend and tell me how it is."

"Looks gross…" Ken groaned as he picked it up.

"You could only do so much with a health blend when it comes to appearance, so I had to compensate with taste. But it'll help you with your damaged nails, by morning it should have fixed itself."

"No joke? Alright then…"

The man proceeded to take a sip of the drink… Before proceeding to down it quickly as though he hadn't drunk anything for the last two days. Ken slammed the glass back onto the counter and smiled brightly, causing the cook to nod in satisfaction. The rest of the class seemed to be impressed as well, with some being more vocal than others.

"It was that good!? Shit, I want one now!"

"Could you make me one!?"

"Well I would have to make different ones for each of you since you all have unique quirks, I try to aim for meals that is suitable for you. Since I only met you all today, the dinner I had prepared only gives you better sleep. But from here on out, I'll be able to prepare a more suitable breakfast, lunch, and dinner for each of you." Ryo replied.

"Yes please!" Akko pleaded.

"Are you sure you want that responsibility? You're going to have to balance that on top of your regular school work." Kouta asked.

"I'll be willing to do it for him!" A girl shouted.

"Please remember I'll be around to maintain the academic integrity of your work. But still, are you sure you want to do that Shokuji-san? It may be too much for you to handle once classes pick up speed." Yaoyorozu said.

"I'll be fine Sensei. It'll be a good service to all of you and an excellent way to train my quirk, nothing but benefits for us all. But I must ask that someone has to clean the dishes and kitchen after I'm done with it, otherwise I won't be able to prepare the next meal."

"Then we'll clean it like our lives depend on it! Anything for our God of Cookery!" Rei cheered. The others nodded and Ryo flashed a small smile at the enthusiasm and gave them a nod.

"I'm counting on you. Also, I hope you don't mind that I made you extra things to wash." The chef said as he faced Eiga and Ken. The realization that Ken just made more work for himself twisted the smile into desperate shock, Eiga just shrugged and said he'll live. There was a collective laugh from select classmates as Yaoyorozu brought her student's attention back.

"Shall we continue with our introductions?"

And a collective yes was heard throughout the surrounding area, disturbing more than a few late-night wanderers.

* * *

 **That was Chapter 3! And so begins the introductory chapters of the 1A I'll be using for this story. While this is practically exposition, I did my best to make it entertaining. So how did I do on that front? Please tell me how you feel in your reviews. And in celebration of receiving my first paycheck, I'll be releasing the next two chapters earlier than normal. So get ready to meet the rest of the class very soon.  
**

 **Speaking of which, let's review who we have in the class so far besides Eri and Kouta. And as a side note, I'll mostly be using the eastern style naming convention (Last name then First) for characters and will only use the western style (First then Last) for specific circumstances. Kurt from the last chapter is one such instance of this rule. But enough talk, here's the cast so far...**

 **Kagari "Akko" Atsuko (Home Series: Little Witch Academia), Quirk: ?**

 **Satsuei Eiga (OC), Quirk: Thousand Faces**

 **Osoroshi Rei (OC), Quirk: ?**

 **Joshima Ken (Home Series: Katekyo Hitman Reborn), Quirk: Animal Channels**

 **Fujiki Yusaku (Home Series: Yugioh VRAINS), Quirk: Sketch Summoning**

 **Shokuji Ryo (OC), Quirk: Supplemental Cuisine**

 **While this will be an OC heavy story, I've taken the liberty of transplanting characters from other series into this. I did so for two reasons. Because it's fun to re-imagine certain characters into the world of My Hero Academia... And because I didn't have the brain power to come up with a few more OC at the moment. Expect the other Class of UA to be similar, where there will be preexisting characters mixed in with OCs to help fill in the gaps in the roster. But tell me what you think of this.  
**

 **Anyway, I think that's about all I have for today. So please look forward to meeting our next few characters.**

 **With that said...**

 **I'll see you next time. T1.**

 **...**

 **Also, sorry Eris for eating up your screen time.**

 **"I hate you."**


	4. Chapter 4: The New 1A Part 2

**I only own my OCs, everything else belongs to their respective creators.** **Warning, may contain Out of Character moments.**

* * *

The sounds of Ken's grumbles managed to overpower the noises of dish washing he and Eiga were making. It was mildly amusing to watch on its own, but there were other matters to attend to. The class now sat at the dining area as it was closer to the kitchen, enabling both Ken and Eiga to still listen in on their classmate's names and abilities. However, it took a dramatic turn for the worst when Rei, full name Osoroshi Rei, started to demonstrate her powers… And collapsed onto the ground.

"The Hell!?" Kouta shouted, staring at the limp body of Rei. The some entered a state of confused panic while others tried to analyze what went wrong, readying the number of emergency services. But what went unnoticed was Akko staring into the air above Rei, as if she saw something that didn't belong…

"Momo Nee-san!" Eri cried out as she went to the girl's side. Yaoyorozu crouched next to her unconscious student and checked her pulse, which was there thankfully.

"Everyone relax! She's only unconscious!"

The noise calmed down, though the worry was still hanging in the air. Their classmate just suddenly passed out, without warning, when she tried to demonstrate her quirk. What the Hell was it that caused its user to suddenly go limp? In any case, Yaoyorozu was in full Hero/Teacher mode and began directing her students.

"Please move out of the way while I carry Osoroshi-san to the couches."

"Allow me, my strength will be more than enough to carry her." Said one of boys… Who was apparently made of gold.

"Thank you, but I…"

She stopped speaking as she and the others noticed that Rei's body began floating off the ground. Startled eyes watched as the girl's body was slowly levitated over towards the coaches before being laid down. Silence took hold… Then a whole lot of screaming.

"THIS BUILDING'S HAUNTED!" Eiga shouted.

"I'm out!" Ryo screamed as he dashed towards the front door. Kouta, though he still looked like a grouch, took Eri's hand and began holding it, a cold sweat rolling down his neck. Eri, while not panicking like some of her classmates, couldn't move and gave the hand she was holding a light squeeze.

"Everyone calm down! There must be a reasonable explanation for this!" Yusaku shouted, working with Yaoyorozu and a few others to calm the others down. That was when a boisterous laugh cut through the screaming and drew in the classes' attention… Towards Akko, who looked like she lost all the air in her lungs.

"Akko-chan!? What's so funny!?" Eri screamed, letting go Kouta's hand. There was a slight blush on both their faces, but no one commented on it since they were too busy staring at their maniacal classmate.

"Oh man! She got you all good!" She cried, still laughing her heart out. More confusion soaked the air as they all looked at each other, who got them good?

"The Hell are you going on about lady? Who got us?" Ken asked.

"Rei!"

"She passed out! How is she getting us!?" Another girl asked. Akko then took a breath to recover her senses, wielded the handle tied to her hip, and extended it out like a baton before clearing her laughter strained throat and closing her eyes. A few words began escaping their lips, though their meaning is lost to them as it was in another language, and the green glow at the baton's tip began getting brighter and brighter. It was then that she shouted out powerful words…

"Déan do láithreacht ar eolas!"

She aimed the glow in front of her and a translucent form began to appear before everyone… It was Rei, floating around with a silly grin on her face. But despite this display, things only got more confusing.

"Excuse me!?" Kouta shouted, looking back and forth between the Rei on the couch and the one in front of them.

"I totally got you! You should've seen the looks on your faces!" Ghostly Rei laughed, though her voice sounded muffled and had a slight echo to it. Though only she and Akko was amused, the others were still confused and furious. Especially their teacher…

"We were absolutely worried about you and you decided toy with us by pulling a prank?" Yaoyorozu said, lacing her words with a malicious force. Everyone took a step back from the increasing level of dread coming from their teacher… Which was weird since Creati was known to never exert any killing intent, unlike the explosive Bane of Evil Catachan. Rei, though ethereal, still feared for her ghostly life and began apologizing, even going far as to bowing for forgiveness.

"I'm sorry Sensei! I promise I won't do it again! Just please stop glaring at me like that!"

With that, the murderous aura that once surrounded the pro hero dissipated. Though one could still see a glint of annoyance in her eyes. "Raise your head… Now explain to us what just happened." She said sternly. Rei cheerfully jumped up and began floating again, a little too eager after her brush with murderous anger.

"Okay! So my quirk is called Soul Eject and it involves having a projection leave my body. And while my it leaves my physical self-vulnerable to the outside forces, I could do cool ghost stuff! Like fly, be intangible, and invisibility… Only that our magic girl here made me visible. But I could still move things around and interact with them, like a poltergeist."

"So that's how you're able to move your own body… But how was Akko-chan able to see you when the rest of us couldn't?" Eri asked.

"A very few are able to see me naturally. I almost didn't pass the practical because I couldn't prove that it was me going around shutting bots down… Until that scraggly, scarf wearing teacher vouched for me being there and I got my points! And thus, I'm here to learn how to spook all the bad guys!"

"You were lucky that Aizawa-sensei was still amongst the active staff, otherwise we would've ejected you from the roster... Even though I read about your quirk, I actually didn't know how to interpret it. So when you passed out, I assumed the worst…"

"Really sorry Yaoyo-sensei, I always do that to new people I meet and couldn't help it when I got the chance. I'll try not to cause any more miscommunications… probably."

"What was that?"

"Nothing!"

Yaoyorozu sighed and looked around, everyone was calmed down now and were amazed by Rei's astral form. Reaching out to try to touch her only for their hands to pass through, though her hands could still touch them. Though weirdly enough, she was avoiding the golden boy as if he carried the plague, which caused Momo to realize there were some things Rei neglected to say. "Is there anything else that we should know about your quirk Osoroshi-san?" She asked.

"Oh! I can't go anywhere near places with heavy holy/occult energies like churches and cemeteries, it'll just push me away. By extension, holy or occult objects can act as wards against me and hurt me while I'm like this. Exorcisms could also kill me if I don't get away quickly enough. And while my body is immune to all of this, I still get a minor headache if I stay around it for too long. Anything Occult involves things like Ouija boards, pentagrams, and other cultist stuff. While anything Holy involves crosses, blessings, and any object made from gold or silver. Like that guy over there."

The boy of gold laughed from the other end of the room, though no one was sure why he was doing it. "Thank goodness! I thought you couldn't stand my brilliance and were weak in the knees! But it turns out… You really did have a weakness for me!" He laughed proudly.

"Oh God… He's one of those kinds of people…" Kouta grumbled.

"Casanova?" Eri whispered.

"You got it…"

"My name is Takara Kou and one of you lucky ladies will have the pleasure of dating this hunk of gleaming gloriousness! Sorry my male brethren, but you may not get any opportunities to score a date now that I'm around!" He shouted, rapidly going through several poses to show off his muscles.

The reaction to him was… Mixed to say the least. Most simply stared at the man as he continued flexing body, silently wondering what kind of high he's on and how to best avoid him when necessary. Others started laughing at the ridiculousness that is Kou, loudly cackling as he continued his demonstration. Even Yaoyorozu couldn't help but restrain a chuckle, seeing that Kou's personality reminded her of an overzealous pervert and a flashy narcissist from her own training days.

"Are you impressed? Every single piece of this glamourous God sculpted form is genuine Gold!" Kou boasted, continuing his swift flexing.

"Is he really made of gold or a gold like substitute? Because pure gold is soft, heavy, and isn't suitable for heroics." Yusaku asked, looking at ghost Rei.

"He's the real deal dude… Though the more I feel his presence, the more I'm getting the sense that he's an alloy and not pure gold. I wouldn't be here since that much pure gold would probably shove me out of this building, so he must be a composite. And if I had to guess, he's about… One part gold to three parts something else."

"That's still a shit ton… How much money would we get if we sell off bits of him?" Ken asked.

"We shouldn't be selling out our classmates, no matter how much money we get." Eiga replied.

"No worries! Feel free to collect my toe nails, finger nails, hair clippings, sweat, and everything! Because it has no value other than the feelings burning in my heart!"

"No value!? But you're gold!"

"Technically a Gold Titanium blend but it's close enough in color to the real thing. But anything that comes off or out of this magnificent bod turns to pyrite, fool's gold… Unless we're talking about my SPECIAL fluid." He said with a wink. While some displayed it more than others, a creeping chill rolled up their backs at the thought of his… SPECIAL fluid…

"Takara-san, please refrain from making too many innuendos in the future. It's considered sexual harassment and UA has a policy that allows students to retaliate within reason." Yaoyorozu said.

"Of course, Ms. Teacher. I'll do my best to keep my magic words from making others pass out in awe." Kou golden eyes fell onto Eri and immediately proceeded to smoothly walk over to her, footsteps practically shaking the floor beneath them all. Nervousness taking hold of the girl, Eri unconsciously moved towards Kouta as he did the same. Both readying a subtle fighting stance at the approaching golden goof ball. The moment Kou stopped was the moment he launched into another hammy performance…

"My lady! Your beauty has captivated me! Your white hair reminds me of rolling clouds on a kind Summer's day! Your eyes bring to mind – EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Though he was suddenly interrupted by sudden spray of water enveloping him and a golden pitch screech left his throat. Kou scrabbled away from the girl and hastily ran as fast as he could to the other end of the room, floor shaking the entire way. Eri looked next to her and saw water dripping from Kouta's hand and an irritated look plastering his face.

"You're not as bad as this little imp I've met a long while back… But you still have a long way to go before you become a real hero. So let me give you some good advice, feel free to consider it. Acting like an idiot high on machismo won't win you a single favor from anyone, ever. You should start by being a decent Human being who respects others first before you're worthy of their praise and attention. So start working on it, you have three years before graduation day." Kouta said, flicking the remaining water off his hand.

"Y-Y-Your wisdom is sound classmate of mine! I shall think about it!" Kou shouted in his usual bravado, though he was clearly shaken by his brush with his classmate. Yaoyorozu rolled up one of her sleeves and generated a towel for her soaked student, tossing it to him when it was completed. The others turn back to Kouta, now throwing napkins onto the ground to wipe up the mess he made. Feeling the stares, he looked back at them with his usual expression and said a few words.

"Izumi Kouta. I shoot water like a fire hose, nice to meet you."

Before he could continue wiping up the soaked floor, he was stopped by Akko who still had her thin baton ready. "Allow me!" She said. Aiming it towards the puddle, she said one word but it was again in a different language.

"Galú!"

The tip of her baton shined brightly again as the wet napkins on the ground regained their white color, though they now look slightly wrinkled. Curious, the boy bent down and touched them… Only to find them dry as well as the floor underneath them. He wasn't the only one astonished by this change, with a few others staring at the girl who did the deed.

"Hi everyone! My name is Kagari Atsuko! But feel free to call me Akko! And I'm a Witch!"

The word 'Witch' lingered on in the air, it was a strange to hear it be used to describe a real person in an age saturated with Super Heroes. Usually it was left within the fantastical worlds of fiction, where Elves and Orcs walk the planet with Humans. Then again, quirks are pretty fantastic themselves, coming in many shapes and forms that could allow people to cross all sorts of barriers.

Also, there was that foreign Hero who came to Japan several years back on this world tour to inspire the masses with spectacles that could only be described as magical. And the fact that there has been an increase in supernatural incidents during the past decade or so, followed by the rise in people capable of resolving them.

And she has a wand in her hand, so there's that.

"Don't believe me? Watch this! Metamorphie Faciesse!"

A green glow enveloped the girl and she soon became a tiny little tan colored mouse. Akko then gave an adorable wave to her now enamored classmates. Even the serious students like Yusaku were looking on with interest.

"Whoa! Look at you!" Eiga said as he looked over.

"So cute!" Rei said, floating closer to the ground to get a better look.

The mousey girl shouted her spell as the green glow enveloped her again, this time she became a tan colored elephant. She wasn't that large but she was round, had big floppy ears, and absolutely adorable. Akko even mimicked the noise an elephant traditionally made, she really did become that animal.

"Why's everyone more impressed with her? I practically do the same thing?" Ken asked, feeling irritated at all the attention his classmate was getting.

"Yeah, but you scared everyone off." Kouta replied bluntly.

"THE FUCK YOU SAY WATER BOY!?"

"Guys! Guys! No fighting! We're all friends here!" Akko shouted, transforming back into a Human.

"Well some more than others." Yusaku answered.

"Not helping Dude…"

"Is it safe to come back in!?" They heard a voice call from the door. That was when they remembered that their chef bailed out of the room the moment there was a possibility that the building was haunted. Yaoyorozu sighed, muttering something about Aizawa-sensei dealing with something similar back in the day, before calling to her frightened student.

"Everything was fine Shokuji-san, it was just Osoroshi-san's quirk! Could you please come back inside!?"

"Got it!"

Upon entering, one could see the amount of cold sweat Ryo produced in his fit of terror. And while he looked calm now, the chef began panicking again the moment he saw the translucent Rei floating over everyone's heads. He then proceeded to begin chanting words at a very fast pace, causing the ghostly Rei to start screaming in agony.

"An Exorcism!? Someone stop-!" Eri began. But everything was quiet now, Rei stopped screaming and started to pant in exhaustion while Ryo's mouth was covered by someone next to him. However, that boy wasn't next to Ryo at all moments ago and was clearly on the other side of the room. Anyhow, Yaoyorozu sighed in relief that one of her students has been saved by the boy's quirk.

"You've missed a lot during your absence. As such, it is understandable for your fear to be present. However, you should've waited for an explanation before jumping to conclusions. Had I not reacted, you could've been responsible for a death. So, when I remove my hand, I want you to take a good look around you. Okay?"

Ryo nodded and the boy removed his hand. The chef looked at the ghost above them, still recovering from her brush with purification, and finally got the gist of the girl's power.

"She can push her soul out?"

"Yeah… That's my power… Can't go near holy or occult stuff and exorcisms could kill me while I'm like this… So I think I'll go back into my body now…" Rei explained, tiredly floating towards her body.

"Oh God… I'm so, so sorry."

"You didn't know… So we're good…" The ghostly girl then laid down on top of her body and got up as her regular Human self. "See? All better!" Rei said cheerfully, despite having a brush with death.

"That's good… Alright, could anyone tell me what I missed? I don't want something like this to happen again… Also, I remembered that I need a list of allergies from each one of you. I managed to prepare dinner without any of the common allergens but I want to expand my borders in the future." Ryo replied.

"Yaoyorozu-sensei should be able to send you such information from our medical records. But let me tell you what you need to know. Osoroshi could eject her spirit and is able to fly, traverse through all solid matter, physically interact with object and people, and be invisible. The reason she isn't for that last one is because Kagari over there casted a spell to make her visible to us. Lastly, she cannot go near holy and unholy objects and places and is harmed by exorcisms and aforementioned holy and unholy objects."

"I just said that!" Rei shouted. But the boy simply ignored her and continued to explain. With Ryo taking intensive mental notes on everything he says.

"The man that appears to be golden is named Takara Kou. And he has a body made entirely of gold."

"Gold Titanium." The man in question corrected. The boy still ignored him.

"Is there a specific mineral or nutrient that improves your hardness?"

"That would be… Calcium!" Kou answered boisterously. While there were a few confused looks, it quickly dispersed as the most common logic they all learned in their youth came back to mind, quirks are weird.

"The boy in the horned cap over there is name Izumi Kouta, he could fire water from his hands with the force of a fire hose and below."

Kouta raised his hand for the chef to get a better idea of who he was, despite that other boy mentioning his most distinctive accessory. The chef began processing ideas in his head before turning back to his classmate with a question.

"Do you have some kind of limiter?"

"The more water I shoot, the thirstier I get." Kouta answered plainly.

"Dehydration, got it!"

"And that girl with the wand like object is Kagari Atsuko. She is a real-life Witch capable of performing arcane arts just like the wizards and mages of fantasy."

"Hi! You could also call me Akko!" The witch said with a wave.

"Again, any sort of limiter? Mana?"

"Nope! Sleep! The more sleep I get, the more spells could use and the more powerful they could be! It's measured in hours and if I use more than what I have, I'll instantly pass out!"

"Then I'll think of some foods with long burning energy for you, maybe serve your breakfast with something caffeinated like tea or coffee… What about you?" Ryo said before facing the boy next to him.

"I have yet to introduce myself… But I am Masaki Takeo, a swordsman with a simple reflex quirk."

"So that's how you react so quickly and fluently… You're training and discipline allows you to utilize your quirk in the most efficient manner possible. Simple yes, but effective." Yusaku replied.

"You do me too much honor Fujiki. But I don't believe it doesn't compare to yours or the abilities of our class because it's so simple." Takeo said with a bow.

"Untrue Masaki-san." The class turned to their teacher as she began to dispense her wisdom and encouragement.

"A quirk doesn't have to be great for someone to be strong. Do you know the Hero Red Riot? He also has a rather simple quirk, Hardening, and often felt inadequate about his abilities. But because he was encouraged to become the unbreakable shield that blocks any danger, he rose up as a result and now stands as the fourth best hero. So please don't put yourself down Masaki-san, you have already rescued someone and classes hasn't even started."

"Yeah man! You saved me! My Hero!" Rei cheered. The boy gave a shy smile and shuffled a bit uncomfortably, it was kind of adorable coming from someone so serious.

"Thank you, Sensei, for your wisdom. I'll reflect upon your words before I sleep."

"You're welcome, but let me say one more thing as an extension to that. In his finest hour, which was also regrettably his last, the Hero Deku said this to the Villain he was fighting and to the nation who watched that dreadful battle. It's –"

"Not the quirk that makes a person a Hero, it's the warm feelings that dwell deep in their heart to save those who couldn't save themselves. In a world of chaos and fear, the one you so desperately want to create, there will always be someone who shall stand up for all that's good and fight to end for it. That's why you'll never win, not now, not ever, not when there'll be a Hero standing in your way. No matter how weak they are, no matter how battered or broken they maybe, so long as they carry the flame I carry, that All Might carried, then your 'dark age' will never come. We'll push back your evil just as the sun pushes back the night. And if we fail? We'll go beyond that and FORCE the sun to rise."

The moment one of their classmates interrupted Yaoyorozu-sensei, all eyes fell onto him. While he didn't look very outstanding, there were two features that was surprisingly distinct. His hope filled eyes and his sweep of clearly dyed dark green hair, with his roots being bleached. When he realized that he was being stared at, he started to get all flustered and reserved.

"I-I'm sorry Sensei… But I had to say it. I'm a HUGE Deku fan and I can't help but recite the whole thing whenever I hear that speech. He was my Hero… I have a huge amount of his merch in my room."

"So that's why I felt so much occult energy coming from the third floor! It was a sign that my classmate's a fanatic cultist!" Rei said.

"Terrible movie by the way." Eiga commented.

"I think that's also my fault too… I have a few weird things up there…" Akko mumbled. Rei appeared by her side and started to pat her cheek, shushing at her as she gestured towards their classmates.

"Tell us shrimp, you part of those Unyielding bastards?" Ken asked.

"… Yes…"

"Totally called it! Only someone from the Cult of the Unyielding could produce that much energy!" Rei cheered.

"Is this fine Sensei? He may go off on some acts of vigilantism. I heard that some of their members do that." Eri asked.

"Those are the irresponsible pricks! They constantly go out on masked crusades of justice for a thrill instead of sticking to doctrine rules! Going out and beating up random thugs in an alleyway doesn't make the city any safer! And Our One True Hero will never approve of such actions! Our family is all about being a Good Samaritan and making everyday citizens feel protected even when a pro hero isn't around! Those are the beliefs I put my faith in! And God help all those jerks who use HIS great ideals as an excuse to break the law or my name isn't Chosetsu Hitoshi!"

But the moment Hitoshi finished tirade, he made the impressive transformation from furious zealot to shy high school student. It was actually quite funny to see as a few started to snicker at his discomfort, even Yaoyorozu had to restrain a small giggle.

"You remind me so much of Midoriya-san, nervous most of the time but really thoughtful and heroic. You even share his obsession of collecting memorabilia of the role model you aspire to be. I wonder what would the look on his face be if he was around to meet you." She said.

"… You knew Deku Sensei?" was all Hitoshi could say.

"He was a classmate when I first attended UA. Nervous and shy, you wouldn't think he was destined for great things. But Midoriya-san made shockwaves, both figuratively and literally, and we were blown away by his strength, wisdom, courage, and kindness. He was a person who would risk life and limb for someone who needed help, no matter how much they didn't want it. And as a result, he changed many lives during his short career as a Hero-in-Training, two of whom are standing in this room right now."

The revelation took the class by storm, especially Hitoshi who was suddenly pointing fingers at random people. "Who is it!? You!? You!? You!? YOU!?"

"It's us." Eri answered, gesturing towards herself and Kouta. Before she could blink, her zealous classmate were in front of them and started bombarding them with questions, carrying a note pad and all. The two looked at each other awkwardly before being able catch that last question of his.

"HOW DID YOU MEET OUR ONE TRUE HERO!?"

"Well… I met him when I was running away from my abusive father. And days later, he saved me from my life with a broken family and now, here I am."

She couldn't help but smile at the memory, it was her most cherished one of Midoriya after all with the second being her rescue by his hands. But she also smiled by the look of awe spreading on her classmates face as he furiously wrote down her words. That look could've bridged the Pacific Ocean, connecting Japan with the US.

"Amazing! And what about you Izumi!? How did you meet our One True Hero!?" Hitoshi questioned, slowly creeping closer to his classmate's face.

"I… I punched him in the nuts…"

The silence that followed was incredible. Yaoyorozu just nodded to herself, the memory of that moment playing in her head. Class 1A finally arrived at the summer forest lodge after battling their way through a dense forest filled with devil beasts made from one of the trainer's quirks. Midoriya being Midoriya, tried to be friendly with the young Kouta and received a harsh blow to the genitals for his troubles. It was savage…

As for Hitoshi, the awe died and his face became stone cold. Eyes furiously aimed at the water boy, almost as if he was trying to burn a hole through his head.

"You were cool like, ten seconds ago. Hope karma comes around to punish you for your sins." Hitoshi threatened.

"Is that your quirk? Punishing evil? If so, then I have nothing to worry about."

"You should be since it isn't. I'm a 3rd Law changer, I could make all equal/opposite forces stronger or weaker. I could send you flying across the room with a push."

"And send yourself flying the other way? Then sure, I'm all for your little game."

"Watch what you say before I take you seriously. I know how to handle my own quirk."

"And I know how to deal with obnoxious idiots."

"Looks who's talking."

"Kouta, Hitoshi, stop" Eri ordered, brows furrowed in anger. The weight and tone of her words were quite surprising, since normally the girl looked so harmless and disarming. Hitoshi was taken aback but for Kouta, he just stood there without even flinching. He almost smirked at his classmate's sudden fear but chose not to, since that would focus Eri's anger on him. Kouta never enjoyed it whenever that happened. With a last glance between the two of them, Hitoshi said something to the girl.

"I'd stay away from him if I were you, he's trouble."

Before Kouta could retort, it was Eri who spoke up against their classmate.

"And you're too quick to judge. Deku was a fair hero who always saw the best in people, only thinking otherwise when there was proof. You just met Kouta and you already think he's bad because of what he did in the past without understanding why he did it. Yes, hitting someone like that is wrong, but so is not letting someone explain themselves and act as if your word is law. And while Kouta's story is not mine to tell, I know it'll change how you see him and you'll realize how childish this fight is."

Hitoshi at first looked irritated, but soon gave in to the self-disappointment growing in his chest. She was right, he wasn't acting like the hero he aspired to be. Without a word, he shrunk away from the duo… Before Eri turned to Kouta with a set of words for him.

"And you. Didn't you promise me that you'll be friendlier to everyone? So far, you insulted Eiga about his hair, threatened to drown Rei for implying something between us, soaked Kou for something I could've handled, and took some pot shots at our classmates. Now I have to add getting into a threat making match to that. Is there anything else I should know about?"

"No… That's it..." Kouta answered, pulling his cap over his eyes.

"Good. Now stop being such a grouch and smile a little. You look better happy…" Eri said, whispering that last part only to her friend. He nodded as a light blush formed, thanking the shadow of his hat for covering his embarrassment. Unfortunately, their moment was interrupted by Kou suddenly applauding and going into a hammy speech.

"Bravo my lady! Your thoughtful words to your peers shall dwell in the depths of my heart! Maybe we should go out and-!"

"I'm sorry, but I'm not interested." Eri replied bluntly.

"Shot down… Your words cut just as deeply…"

"That's brutal… Oh! Her name's Eri by the way!" Akko called out.

"And your family name?" Takeo asked.

"I don't have one."

"Really? Huh…" Ryo commented.

"She came from a broken family with an abusive father, so of course she wouldn't want to associate herself with them. But I'm more curious on what her quirk is." Yusaku replied.

"Yeah! What's you're quirk? I bet it's cool!" Rei cheered.

"Please, looking at her, I bet it's nothing special." Ken replied.

"It's not the quirk but the person, remember?" Hitoshi retorted.

"Bite me Newton nut."

"Well don't keep us waiting? What is it?" Eiga asked. All eyes were on Eri and sweat began forming on the back of her neck. She couldn't reveal her quirk, it would be too dangerous to do so. Word might get out and bad people will try to kidnap her again. With a glance to both Yaoyorozu and Kouta, whose eyes were telling her to lie, she took a deep breath and repeated the words given to her when she was young.

"I'm quirkless."

There was first confusion… Before amazement took the faces of her peers. Akko was the first to express her thoughts. "That's awesome! You managed to pass through that crazy entrance exam without one!? That's so cool!"

"How did you do it?" Rei asked, still staring in disbelief.

"There is this Hero from Germany named Bulletstorm who came to Japan a few years back. He's the one who trained me how to fight… With guns."

"So we got ourselves a Gunslinger Girl with six in the chamber and a whole lot of spunk. What could you shoot?" Eiga asked.

"Every category. Handguns, magnums, sub machine guns, all the rifles, shotguns, light machine guns, and specialist weapons like rocket and grenade launchers. I also know hand to hand combat, knife fighting, and first aid. Those were the things that Bulletstorm taught me and it has yet to fail me."

"Holy shit… Our little girl is packing heat!" Rei shouted.

"I only use the stun and concussive rounds that the Global Support Labs developed for all gun wielding Heroes. They're good but nothing like a real bullet… Though I don't ever want to be in a situation where I have to use the real deal."

"That's because you're not using them correctly. Once they strike a vital point, all targets will be rendered unconscious with a single round." A girl said in a flat tone. That only diverted attention from Eri to the other girl. She had headphones on and was lightly bobbing her head to the song, her light pink hair was lightly swaying in the air. She then began speaking again, seeing that her classmates were waiting for her to introduce herself since she decided to join the conversation. Though her tone was still flat, completely monotone, as she introduced herself.

"Yuzuriha Inori. My singing could improve your capabilities while weakening my enemies. I need to focus solely on singing however as it does nothing while I'm in action. I hope you'll treat me well in the coming months as I do the same for you."

"Of course, Ms. Yuzuriha! Why wouldn't we treat such a lovely lady with no respect!? Would you like a strong individual like myself to be your personal guard whilst you sing your little heart out!?" Kou asked, flexing his golden body once more.

"I have a boyfriend. And there's no need to trouble yourself, I'm capable of protecting myself should danger interrupt my performance."

"Oh… My apologies… He's a very lucky man."

"How are you moving between girls so fast? I'm a badger and even I don't have the stones for something like that."

No one wanted to comment on the fact that there was a human sized badger in clothing due to the fact that animal based mutation quirks were common place… But when they actually look at him, laying on the ground, he was shaped more like his animal than others with a similar quirk, who are either take anthropomorphic forms or have several key traits of their respective animal. Like Froppy and her frog like tongue, camouflage, and ability to cling to walls. However, their classmate is neither a humanized badger or a human with badger qualities… He was a LITERAL badger!

"My name is Fukutsu Taki. And I'm a Badger." He introduced, voice higher pitched than what they were expecting.

"You have the appearance of a European Badger, but I assume you have the traits of all badgers. Am I wrong Fukutsu-san?" Yaoyorozu asked.

"No Sensei. But even though I'm a Badger, I could retract my claws so that I cannot hurt someone by accident."

"So you're perfect for hugs!" Rei cheered.

"Yes. Because I'm a nice badger. I like hugs."

"Do you have a Human diet or Badger diet?" Ryo asked, watching Rei and the same orange hair girl pet their fuzzy classmate.

"Does it matter? Those fuckers could eat anything." Ken replied.

"Though I'm a badger, I could still eat people food. The dinner you made was delicious." Taki answered. The chef nodded to his classmate's praise before making more mental notes, one could see the gears in his head turning. Eri watched as Taki began trotting about on his paws, with him mentioning that he was badger and had to move on all fours, and smiled at how Rei and that other girl commented on his adorability. Even Yusaku, who usually looked bored and rarely threw in his two cents, looked at the badger with some amusement.

And from that, the girl could tell that this was the beginning of something good.

* * *

 **And that was chapter 4! For this chapter, I felt that I managed to make this exposition entertaining to read. But what do you think? Did you find it entertaining?**

 **"It was crazy! Also, cultists! You got to love them."**

 **When I planned this story, I felt that it would've been inevitable for Midoriya to gain a literal cult following. And as a result, we have a guy who is a complete zealot for the One True Hero Deku. But when you completely break him down to his core aspects, Hitoshi has Midoriya's fanaticism but Iida's adherence to the rules.  
**

 **"What a combo, crazy but law abiding."**

 **For Kou, I took inspiration from Johnny Bravo for his personality, where he tries to hit on all the ladies with ineffective swagger. As for the boy's quirk, I wanted something similar to Kirishima's but found that it would be too similar. So instead of a person with a transformation type quirk, it's a person with a mutation type quirk.**

 **"Whoa Mama! What a hunk!"**

 **Taki was an interesting concept I had. In my mind's eye, I thought... What would it be like for a 6 foot badger to become a Hero? And boom, Taki was born.**

 **"I have no problems with that, it's just crazy cute."**

 **Eiga and Rei both had similar conceptions. I thought about unusual powers and gave them both their respective quirks, with Eiga being able to absorb it from the media he consumes and Rei capable of becoming an intangible being. And if you think about it in relation to the world of My Hero Academia, their abilities somehow fit because "Quirks are Weird".**

 **"They really are. Like, how could touching someone remove all gravity off of them? I mean, my touch could send someone to heaven but that's completely different."**

 **Simple, because Quirks are Weird. Anyway, let's once more summarize the class list and their quirks so everyone has quick and easy access! And this time, Eri and Kouta shall be included in the list too.  
**

 **Eri, Quirk: Quirkless?**

 **Izumi Kouta, Quirk: Water Creation**

 **Kagari "Akko" Atsuko (Home Series: Little Witch Academia), Quirk: Slumbering Sorcery**

 **Joshima Ken (Home Series: Katekyo Hitman Reborn), Quirk: Animal Channels**

 **Fujiki Yusaku (Home Series: Yugioh VRAINS), Quirk: Sketch Summoning**

 **Masaki Takeo (Home Series: Treyarch's Call of Duty Zombies), Quirk: Reflex**

 **Yuzuriha Inori (Home Series: Guilty Crown), Quirk: Special Song**

 **Satsuei Eiga (OC), Quirk: Thousand Faces**

 **Osoroshi Rei (OC), Quirk: Soul Eject**

 **Shokuji Ryo (OC), Quirk: Supplemental Cuisine**

 **Takara Kou (OC), Quirk: Completely Golden**

 **Chosetsu Hitoshi (OC), Quirk: 3rd Law Modifier**

 **Fukutsu Taki (OC), Quirk: Badger Form Plus**

 **"This is turning into quite the list. Also, real subtle."**

 **I needed something to fill that spot since what Eri's true quirk is classified as a Major Manga Spoiler. But anyway, I'm going to be wrapping it up now. Remember to leave behind your thoughts in the usual place. The more constructive it is, the more the story will improve in the future. So please, hit me with everything you got.**

 **"Break out the Critic's Chicago Typewriter and blow him away!"**

 **Next time we'll be finishing the introductions and be heading back into our regular release schedule! So stay tuned!**

 **Until next time. T1.**

 **...**

 **...**

 **...**

 **Extra content ahead. Warning, contains spoilers for the ending of Little Witch Academia.**

* * *

"You know, the more I look at you, the more I feel like I've seen you somewhere…" Hitoshi commented, staring at the witch. Akko tilted her head in confusion, seeing that they all just met today. But as the others thought on his words, there WAS something familiar about her.

"Actually, now that I think about it… Where did I see you?" Eiga replied, drying a plate.

"Maybe you're mistaking her for someone else, she's as plain as this cutting board I'm holding." Ken replied.

"And you're just about as hacked up as one." Yusaku answered bluntly, referring to how abrasive and rough his classmate is.

"It's true." Inori agreed plainly. And while the delinquent was spitting out curses at the two, who were soundly ignoring him, the others continued to stare at her until Rei snapped her fingers. A clear idea shining in her eyes as she pointed at the witch.

"You were on TV that one time!"

"She was!?" Eri asked, stunned by the revelation. Though in all honesty, she had no idea what the ghost girl was talking about. And neither did Kouta… Or anyone in the room… Not even Akko herself.

"I was!?"

"I'm sorry to say that I cannot recall seeing her beautiful face on the TV! How disgraceful!" Kou shouted in frustration.

"How mysterious… Even I felt like I've seen you long before your application into UA…" Yaoyorozu commented, her cheek resting in one of her hands.

"If I may ask Kagari… Three years ago, did you happen to engage an ICBM traveling over British airspace?" Takeo asked. As he mentioned those specifics, a few more of the class began to perk their heads up.

"A what now?" Akko asked, still clueless.

"An Intercontinental Ballistic Missile. Weren't you the girl who stopped a magically possessed nuclear warhead?" Kouta replied, realizing who the witch was. It was only after a few seconds that the girl realized what her classmates were talking about.

"Oh yeah! That was me and my friends! And boy that was dangerous! Never knew we were on TV though…" Akko replied with a smile. Now that caused most of them to fly into cheers of awe, though Yusaku, Inori, and Yaoyorozu kept themselves tamed. Never the less, they were all blown away by the girl's impressive feat.

"Even though I'm an unflinching badger, I'm amazed at your accomplishment." Taki commented. Hitoshi was practically bowing before Akko's feet, screeching Hero repeatedly. It was mildly amusing sight as Akko tried to downplay it, though none of them were having it. Even Ken was throwing in a simple but earnest 'good work' towards the witch.

"You stopped World War III! You deserve all the praise!" Ryo cheered.

"And Skynet! Don't forget Skynet!" Eiga added. Eri smiled as her friend continued to be swallowed by the cheers of her classmate, Yaoyorozu trying to calm everyone down and give Akko some space.

"Looks like you picked quite a friend." Kouta commented with an approving nod.

"Yeah. This is going to be a really good year." She answered with a smile. With Kouta by her side and Akko as a friend, Eri couldn't help but feel that this period in her life was going to be… Dare she say… Magical?


	5. Chapter 5: The New 1A Part 3

**I only own my OCs, everything else belongs to their respective creators.** **Warning, may contain Out of Character moments.**

* * *

After the excitement surrounding their resident witch died down, something strange occurred… Mainly that no one's quirk was working 'correctly' after the orange haired girl touched everyone. She didn't even state her name, she just shouted 'me next!', began running around, and slapping everyone while whistling something that sounded like a strange folk song. And when she managed to finally tagged everyone, including Yaoyorozu, only then did she turned to everyone with the usual spring in her step.

"I'm Yoroko Kana! I like parties! And Fun! Oh, Fun Parties! I want to be a Hero who could save the world with silliness alone! Make everyone have a good laugh!"

"That's… That's an admirable goal you have Yoroko-san… But why…?" Yaoyorozu commented.

"What the frack did you do to –!? Why the heck did I –!? What did you do to me!? First my quirk isn't working right, and now I can't curse! What is your quirk darn it!?" Ken shouted, finding it impossible to spit out any profanities.

"Though I'm a nice badger, never have I felt the need to be petted… As I am feeling right now." Taki commented. Rei proceeded to walk over to her classmate and began running her hand through his fur, causing the badger to… Purr?

"I can't move… I posed like the adorable lady asked me to, but now I'm stuck like this…" Kou groaned, unable to move from his predicament. He was in a front double bicep pose, with him flexing his biceps as he proudly displayed his pecs. Though now that meant he was a statue now, thanks to whatever Kana did to him.

"For some reason, while certain ingredients do have something like a Charisma buff… EVERY ingredient I look now has a personality booster. Whatever her quirk is, it completely alters how our quirks function." Ryo commented as he scrounged through the fridge.

"No kidding! I've been standing here shooting out sparkly lights and balloons for the last two minutes!" Akko shouted, constantly flicking her wand in front of her. There was a pile of latex balloons pooling at the witch's feet as fluttering wisps of light began moving about the room.

"Maki-Maki! Catch!" Kana shouted. She threw him several sticks towards Takeo… Followed by the same number of plates. With his enhanced reflexes, the boy caught all the sticks and began balancing a plate on each one in an impressive feat of dexterity. Before he could call out to remove the items, the girl began skipping towards their teacher.

"You read our quirks Sensei, why don't you spoil my fun?"

"This is why I wanted you describe how your quirk worked first so you don't startle anyone like Osoroshi-san… Fine, but you will be taking responsibility of whatever grievances you've caused to your classmates. Everyone, Yoroko-san's quirk is called Party Time and it's a touch activated quirk. For five minutes, any quirk or dangerous object is rendered harmless and 'fun'."

"I'm stuck like this for five minutes Ms. Teacher!? Oh, the Humanity!" Kou shouted, voice deep in despair.

"But look on the bright side, now you're like one of them statues of old. You know, the one's people admire a whole lot because they looked so beautiful and great." Kana commented.

"Everyone! Admire me! Behold my golden form in its most natural state!"

"And he's back…" Kouta groaned. He looked at his hands and went out into the courtyard, planning to test how his quirk was affected. The moment he activated it, only a modest amount sprayed forth, kind of like a strong water gun. With a frown, the boy walked back in and sighed.

"Man, and I thought my quirk was weird." Rei commented, still petting the soft fur of Taki.

"Objectively, it's still weirder than this… Is your ghost form affected?" Eiga asked.

"Give me a sec…"

The girl proceeded to pass out… Only this time everyone could see a slightly transparent white form leave her body. And when she fully emerged from her physical body, she resembled a cheap bed sheet ghost. Though when she looked at herself, Rei was more than ecstatic to see that her form was something so cheesy and cliché.

"I will haunt you… Boo!" Rei said with a snicker.

"Could someone please assist me!? This is getting rather annoying!" Takeo called out, still balancing the plates upon his sticks. Yusaku got up and carefully removed the plates before his classmate threw down the sticks with an exhausted huff. It was then that Kou could move and ghost Rei disappeared from sight, signaling to everyone that the effects were over.

"Wasn't that fun!?" Kana asked merrily.

"NO!"

"Aww…"

"I found it mildly amusing." Inori commented plainly.

"Because I'm a domestic badger, I like being petted." Taki commented.

"It was pretty cool how everything I touch begins moving in slow mo. So, I liked it!" Hitoshi agreed, point his thumb up towards the party girl. She smiled wide and began jumping in joy, it was a childish yet wonderful sight.

"Does your quirk even have a weakness?" Eri asked.

"There are some quirk types that it does absolutely nothing to, like teleportation quirks. Also, those with mutation type quirks aren't as affected by my mirth making, like our resident cuddle buddy Tik-Tak. And it doesn't stop someone from just punching me in the face. But it does give them the urge to not hurt people, so there's that."

"So, I guess people like Masaki and me are pretty much your bane, since our quirks aren't very dangerous." One girl replied. She had a very boyish haircut, two piercings on her left ear, and dressed slightly like a punk.

"I take it that you have an uninteresting quirk as well?"

"You know it. Sasaya Ina, by the way." The girl introduced. But as her mouth moved, the sound of her voice was being projected from the other side of the room. Some looked over to see no one and looked back at her as she smirked at their confusion.

"Throwing your voice, that's pretty useful for a stealth type Hero." Yusaku commented.

"You're not the first person to say that." Ina mouthed, her voice being projected from Yusaku's lips.

"How the Hell did someone like you pass the exam!? That's useless against robots!" Ken shouted.

"Says you Zoo Lord, my voice actually confuses them for a moment. And I could take them out because I have THIS!"

From her pocket, she produced a handle that soon folded out into a flat rod. Not long after, the sound of crackling filled the air as electricity ran through its metal length. However, the sudden activation of a weapon has caused several of the Heroes-in-Training to enter a defensive stance. Though this only resulted in Ina's cackles being heard around the entire first floor, the source of the noise changing with each 'ha'. Yaoyorozu pinched the bridge of her nose and began mumbling to herself.

"Was this how Aizawa-Sensei felt when he was looking after our class?"

"Do you even know how to swing that?" Another girl asked. While half of her face was covered by unkempt, scraggly hair, one could see that her eye colors were changing between deep purple and silver every time she blinked. Though her question was the thing that was everyone's mind, how hard is it to swing something that shocks people?

"Girl, I don't get what you mean by that. I just hit someone, they get several thousand volts running through their body, the end." Ina answered, this time her voice coming from her own mouth.

"You need to work on that. Also, pink is really not your color."

"How do I need to work – Wait, how the Hell do you know that!?"

Ina looked around at her classmates, deep purple irides glancing at everyone… Before a dark colored cloth was thrown over her eyes by Yaoyorozu, a slight scowl on her face.

"Please stop using your quirk like that Kazuku-san, it's inappropriate."

"I don't know what you mean Sensei…" The girl said as she removed the rag from her face, purple eyes still shining. From Momo's hand, a thick cloak was created and she instantly wrapped it around herself. As confusion spread across Kazuku's face, the look on Yaoyorozu's face really says how she is feeling right now.

"Satsuei-san, Joshima-san, have you finished those dishes?"

"Just finished, we're going to clean the rest of the kitchen now." Eiga answered.

"Don't. Kazuku-san will do it."

"HAA! THAT'S WHAT YOU GET LADY!" Ken taunted.

"Well if you saw what I saw, then I'd say it was worth it… Quit shouting, it says very little about you." The girl said as she scanned the delinquent. Ken's face flared up and proceeded to go on an unintelligible tirade, being dragged away by Eiga as the girl finally turned to say one last thing.

"I am Kazuku Mei and I have special eyes. I could scan anyone and anything and it'll give me information, act as binoculars, infrared vision, night vision… And X-Ray vision."

She blinked each time she listed off details of her quirk, her eyes changing colors each time she did so. From silver, to gold, to red, to green, and finally deep purple, Mei's powers were assigned to those respective colors. But it was only then that the last parts of her words finally registered with the class, sparking outburst amongst the vocal and silent judgement from the serious. And then there was Kou…

"Did you take a good look at my – What's the word I should use…? EGO! That's it!"

"The biggest from what I could see. I approve."

The two just gave a wide smile and nodded to one another, shrieking out 'YEAH'. Eri looked over to the boy next to her and saw how he has a hand covering his face, probably feeling a bit… Overwhelmed by their classmates.

"I'm in a nightmare… Two of my classmates are irresponsible idiots…"

"They're not that bad…" Eri replied.

"Maybe once I get to know them. But right now, all that ego stroking is putting me off."

As Mei began her task of cleaning the kitchen, another stood up and faced the class. Long dark hair tied back into a braid, he looked around and went on a tangent… Or something.

"Why are you all so disturbed by something like this? Isn't it normal that everyone has a hidden, no pun intended, quirk or two? We maybe Heroes aiming to become paragons of virtue, upholding all that is good like those who came before us… But we're all still Human on the inside, flawed beings that are still capable of harboring evils like any villain. However, it's not what we are that defines our roles, it's what we choose to be. And though Kazuku, who consistently practices voyeurism, Takara, who is a philander, and I, who enjoys BDSM play, are deviants for our abnormal tastes, we ultimately wish to use our time and abilities to aid others and protect their way of life. That's why we're here, attending this school, training to be a Hero instead of being out there and doing all sorts of misdeeds as a villain. So please, let's not judge others by their habits… But instead, let's admire their conviction to become a protector despite those habits. I am Musubi Ken, and I am proud to be a Heroic Deviant."

"I should be disturbed… But somehow, I'm oddly motivated by this…" Hitoshi commented. There was a hum of agreement, despite the air being filled with an awkward energy that was caused by Musubi. Yaoyorozu wasn't at all bothered by how perturbed everyone was and instead felt a sense of nostalgia, remembering a similar speech in the past. They were wise words to consider… Though one of her students was far more concerned with something else entirely.

"I share a name with this weirdo!? Fuck!" Ken shouted.

"So what if we have the same name? Hundreds/thousands of other people in other countries, maybe the world, share their name with a stranger. But there is only one unique Joshima Ken and he is standing right here in this room. Focus on the differences instead the similarities and you'll grow into someone that's different from me. Our personalities already clash, so I could safely say that our similarities end at our names. Much like the contested resolution between two great heroes…"

"I understood that reference." Eiga comment.

"That movie's like, ancient history. Are people still sore about it?" Akko asked.

"Oh yeah. The less said about it the better."

"Anyway… What is your quirk? Is there anything I should know about it?" Ryo asked, turning back to Musubi. The boy proceeded to pull out some tangled up yarn and stared at it, a soft blue light surrounded it and it began to unravel. Once untied, he caused it to swim through the air much like a fish through water. It was oddly hypnotizing as danced in front of everyone, drawing patterns and symbols before them.

"I have a physic control over all cords, rope, and string. They require more force to break, are more resistant to the elements, could lift up to 91 Kg, and can pull things at a speed up to 24 kph. But I have a max distance of 5 meters and I require line of sight to activate. While not inherently powerful, it is a useful ability to have in many industrial type professions, for personal pleasure, and of course, capturing villains."

"Then I suppose you're very well versed in the arts of capture?" Someone asked as Musubi tied up and put away his yarn. The person who spoke had strangely bright green hair and fine dark skin, playing with a rather old looking leaf.

"I say I'm quite skilled… Am I to assume that you'll be my spirited rival in the coming months Mr…?"

"Zassou Sho. And while your powers are, quite good, it's nothing to what nature has honed for millions of years."

"Why do I have a feeling this is going to be an intro to another philosophical talk?" Rei whispered.

"That's not fun…" Kana grumbled.

"Darwinist?" Yusaku asked, ignoring the chatty girls next to him.

"Somewhat. I'm fascinated by how plants survive despite being on the bottom of the food chain. No matter where you look, they are there in some shape or form… Adapting to suit the environment they sink their roots into, and adapting to fight those creatures that dare feed on them. That's why, in this society where Heroes and Villains struggle in the age-old battle of strong vs. weak, you'll be glad to have someone like me fighting with you. When the rest of you fail for whatever reason, I'll be the survivor who'll turn it all around."

"Whoa! Look out everyone! We've got a badass over here!" Mei shouted.

"How bold. But as a badger, I'm unshaken by your declaration." Taki replied.

"There is a difference between confidence and arrogance Zassou. Be sure to realize this so you may not fall to your hubris later in the future." Takeo answered.

"What the hell is your quirk anyway!?" Ken shouted. The leaf that Sho was playing around with slowly went from Autumn brown to Spring green, growing in size shortly afterward. Akko stared with interest as the leaf continued to grow, the witch clearly has an idea what her classmate's abilities are.

"You can manipulate plants!?"

"Affect their shape, growing speed, and durability. However, I cannot accelerate the growing speed of crops as it has a dramatic effect on their taste. So I apologize Ryo, I cannot provide you some easy ingredients."

"Never wanted anything like that. I only cook things that were grown with actual effort instead of any quick junk I come across. You are what you eat, and I don't want any of you to become a pile of trash while I'm here. But tell me, do you have a diet I should know about?"

"There are just two major things you need to know. One, I could accelerate growth using nutrients from the ground or from my body. So it would be advantageous for me if you cooked anything nutrient rich. And two, if I don't maintain a strict vegan diet, my abilities will be extremely debilitated until I… Excrete the cause of it. In other words, I partake not in the meat, nor the breastmilk, nor the ovum, of any creature, with a face." Sho answered.

"I got that reference too." Eiga commented. While he smiled, Sho just stared at his classmate in confusion, not sure what part of his words were a reference or to what. Though with this lag, Kouta kindly brought up something he's noticed earlier while everyone was eating.

"Hold on, if you don't eat meat, then what the Hell were those bones on your plate?"

Looking back… Their resident Vegan was spotted chomping away at some of the meats that their cook had prepared, greedily in fact. Staring back at the man in question, the stoic philosopher soon gave way to a nervous individual that began fidgeting under the stares. The transition between the two was stunning, almost as if Sho were two completely different people. Much like Hitoshi and his cultist personality.

"I… I… I have no self-control… Today was a special occasion, so I let myself go…"

"Not so special now are you!? How do you expect to be a hero if you have no control!?" Ken shouted.

"So says the rabid dog." Yusaku answered bluntly.

"What did you say!?"

"BURN!" Kana shouted.

"Shut up! I'll tear your throats out!"

"You should relax, it's all in good fun." Eiga said.

"Yeah, to make fun of him." Ina replied.

"That's savage." Hitoshi commented.

"I hate you all…"

"Oh, come on now, don't be like that. Just you wait, we'll all be inseparable by the end of this." One girl answered. Her auburn hair was tied up into a short messy pony tail as her cheerful red eyes stared at the delinquent. Ken scoffed at her but ultimately calmed down… Though he was still the voice of rudeness that his classmates completely expected by now.

"And how do you know that? Are you some kind of… Friendship meter?"

"That's exactly what I am. My quirk grows stronger the more I bond with people and when they bond with others."

"Huh… I didn't think a quirk could improve like that." Eri said.

"It shouldn't. Quirks are biological functions that affect our physical, personal beings. It shouldn't be dependent on how you interact with others or how supernatural things get." Mei answered before looking at Rei, still petting Taki.

"Look girl, I'm not bad, I was just born this way." Rei replied.

"That's another reference I get."

"How many movies do you watch?" Ryo asked, turning to his classmate.

"As many as I can."

"Also, don't you think you're making friends on bad grounds? Using us to only power your quirk?" Mei asked. The girl made a scowl and stood her ground, the tension hadn't been this high in a good while. Yaoyorozu finally exited the passive state she placed herself in and readied herself in case there was a conflict.

"Don't make those assumptions about me. Sure, my quirk is a great excuse to make friends… But I NEVER think about abusing people like that. I honestly want to be a part of everyone's lives as I want them to be part of mine. You can choose to believe that or not, but that's the kind of person I want to be, dependable and supportive. And not many people out there are so willing to offer their shoulder for someone to cry on." The girl answered.

"My shoulders are always available for you my lady." Kou commented, flexing his golden body once more. At this point, the others just ignored how ridiculous he's acting and focused on the girl.

"I'm sure they are. But are you willing to share it with the others?"

"I'll… Think about it…"

"And that's what I'm talking about. How could you be a Hero if you can't be unbiased with your care?"

"I… Can't…"

"But I'll admit, it's too early in the year to be judging some of you like this. My name is Shiomi Kotone and I hope I'll live up to your expectations."

"This is incredible! It's like there's a bit of the One True Hero in all of you! Such wisdom! Such humility" Hitoshi commented, writing down in his note pad.

"What is your Quirk anyway since it's powered by friendship?" Sho asked.

"Magic!?" Kana asked excitedly. That seemed to have excited Akko, since that meant she had a fellow witch in her class. Though that feeling quickly died and was replaced with curiosity the moment Kotone shook her head. Instead, she pulled out a small, silver plated pistol from her pocket and held it gently in her hand.

"Sensei, may I demonstrate?"

"Are you not going to explain what you're holding?" Yaoyorozu answered.

"Oh! This is an evoker, it helps with my quirk. It's not a real gun."

"Then how does it work?" Inori asked, ignoring the wave of relief that seemed to be going on around her.

"Like this."

Kotone then raised the pistol like device… And pressed the barrel against her temple. While the others KNEW it was a fake, the image of someone pointing a gun to their head is still disturbing. What's more, the girl proceeded to pull the trigger… And the sound of glass breaking resounded through the first floor. Blue flames appeared behind the girl as a figure with a mechanical body and limbs began forming. It carried a large heart shaped lyre on its back and had a bright red scarf around its neck, matching it's burning red eyes. But the way the figure's long hair flowed and the way its face looked, the figure was a mirror of Kotone.

"This is Orpheus, Master of Strings and the manifestation of my inner self. She hits stuff with her lyre, use magic by playing music with her lyre, protect me with her lyre… Okay she does everything with her lyre. She runs on my stamina and if she gets hurt, I get hurt and vice versa."

"And this is where all your friendship power goes? Also, isn't Orpheus a guy?" Ina commented.

"I'm his reincarnation? You know, rebirth?"

"Wasn't the man Greek? And didn't the concept come from India?" Ryo asked

"Actually, the Greeks did have a similar concept called metempsychosis. Though I doubt there's any evidence that could prove that this figure here is the true Orpheus. You've mentioned that this is the manifestation of your inner self. And as such, it's a representation of who you truly are. However, I'm not entirely sure what that entails since we've only just met and all I have are just theories." Yusaku replied.

"I'd appreciated it if you didn't pry."

"Duly noted."

"I think your friend could hurt me while I'm a ghost. I'm feeling a whole bunch of energy coming off her." Rei commented.

"Good to know." Sho replied bluntly.

"Could she play a song?" Kana asked. Kotone nodded and Orpheus removed the massive lyre from her back. However, the moment she strummed, the top of one of the tables caught fire. Those sitting closest to it immediately flew back as Kotone entered a panic, with Orpheus disappearing from sight. Yaoyorozu began creating a fire blanket, Ryo was running to the kitchen for a fire extinguisher, and Kouta readied his own quirk. But before any of them could act, a small pellet flew into the blaze and gently exploded not long after, coating the burning surface with a fine white powder. And not a second later, the sudden flames were extinguished.

"Crisis averted. You should be more careful Shiomi-san, that could've burned down this dorm." A girl said.

"Except that some of us were ready to put it out. But sure, the dorm could've went up in flames." Kouta replied.

"I'm really sorry about that! Orpheus sometimes has hiccups in control and I still haven't ironed out all the problems yet! But I can promise you that there will be no more unintentional fires, guarantee!" Kotone apologized.

"How do you have lapses in control? You should've had your quirk since you were a kid." Ryo asked.

"I don't know! The doctors said it could be a subconscious thing!"

"Shiomi-san, let's not get worked up if that's case. This was just an accident that swiftly dealt with and we were fortunate that no one got hurt. But use this event as a motivator to improve on the control you haven't completely mastered." Yaoyorozu answered.

"Of course Sensei…"

"Don't be so discouraged Shiomi, even monkeys fall from trees." Takeo replied. As others began to give some pep talk to the accidental fire starter, Yaoyorozu went to the powder covered table and began examining the residue. And before long, she turned to the student who put out the flames.

"Mono Ammonium Phosphate, I hope the taste of it wasn't too severe Kagaku-san."

"Don't worry Yaoyorozu-Sensei, I've gotten used to the taste of chemicals in my mouth a long time ago."

"Excuse me!? Chemicals!? What have you been putting in your body!?" Ryo asked.

"Don't worry, I haven't ingested anything dangerous… Not that I'm in any danger since my quirk protects me from ingesting anything hazardous."

"I guess that's good… But what kind of quirk do you have that lets you do that?" Eri asked.

"First, my name is Kagaku Fuwa and I hope we all get along despite our assorted personalities. But my quirk allows me to break down whatever I eat or drink into its base chemical elements. And then I'm capable of mixing them in my mouth before spitting them out at high speeds."

"Super spit!? That's it!? Lame." Ken replied.

"Dude, really? Her quirk is like a hundred times more useful than yours. She could mix up some medicine if she knows what it's made from and heal us." Hitoshi commented.

"Sure she could, but that's not very dangerous in a fight."

"She could spit out a lump of iron. Or acid. Or gasoline. Or any chemical weapon ever." Rei replied.

"I imagine that she needs to be quite knowledgeable in chemistry to get any mileage from that quirk." Sho commented.

"It has to, since there is nearly an infinite amount of chemical combinations fit for any situation." Musubi replied.

"Well I also tend to store away useful compounds for future use inside chemically inert pellets that I also make inside my mouth. Sometimes it's more useful to put it inside a pellet before I shoot it out, like putting out fires." Fuwa answered as Kotone looked away shyly.

"Your quirk sounds a lot like Momo nee – Yaoyorozu-sensei's quirk." Eri commented.

"Does that mean you have a similar weakness?" Ryo asked.

"I'm more like Zassou-san in that regard. I could deprive my body of crucial nutrients if I utilize my quirk too much, since I'm breaking down and expelling key elements that are needed to keep the body functional. That's why I'm relying on you to prepare nutrient rich meals for me as well."

"Do you have any dietary restrictions?"

"No."

"Great! Is there anyone else that hasn't spoken yet?" Ryo asked.

"Actually, I think that's everyone." Eiga said as he looked around.

"Fantastic. Now I can go to sleep." Yusaku replied as he stood up.

"Still being an anti-social busy body?" Kotone asked.

"Unfortunately so. But I'll admit, all of you are a lot more interesting than I originally thought."

"How are we uninteresting!? We have a badger for a classmate!" Ina shouted, gesturing to Taki.

"Three reasons. First, I've encountered so many 'colorful' people that I'm more or less desensitized. Second, the way some of you hold yourselves already told me everything I needed to know. And third, this is the first time I haven't tuned anyone out, so I was able to get a feel for your actual personalities. That and Yaoyorozu-sensei reasoning was sound enough for me to stay."

"Wow, what a grouch. Have you ever smiled? Laughed? Done carpool karaoke?" Kana asked.

"What does that last one have to do with anything?" Akko replied.

"Yoroko is suggesting that Fujiki hasn't done anything fun." Inori answered.

"Well buddy, you got us now. From today onward, we'll be injecting fun directly into your veins! Who's up for a movie!?" Eiga cheered, patting Yusaku on the shoulder.

"Classes begin tomorrow and we may need our rest." Takeo answered.

"Oh… Then let's watch something on the weekend! I've got the best action films from the 70s, the 80s, the 90s, and the new millennium!"

"Do you only have action movies? I get it helps with your quirk, but there's plenty of other great movies from other genres." Hitoshi replied.

"No, I got ALL the movies. I just need to bust them out of their box, and maybe I should buy a white board for suggestions."

"Sounds good friend. And no need, I have one that I'll put up sometime tomorrow." Musubi answered.

"Then I'll start taking suggestions now."

Chaos soon erupted again as names of films, new and old, were being called out left and right. Yaoyorozu smiled at her students, seeing that they are already working towards building those irreplaceable friendships. She then turned to the two students who weren't part of the ongoing mayhem and approached them.

"Are you two not going to join them?"

"I'm still taking all this in. Was it like this when you first met your friends Momo – Yaoyorozu-sensei?" Eri asked.

"More or less. But I don't regret the time I spent with them and I know you two will feel the same way."

"We'll see. So far, they seem half decent… Except maybe Kou… And Mei…" Kouta answered.

"I used to not like Mineta-san until he mostly straightened out his attitude. So I'm willing to bet it'll be the same for you and them."

Eri and Kouta looked towards their classmates and saw Kou lifting Ken, who in turn was trying to punch the golden boy, and Taki, who was strangely okay with this, over his head to prove his strength. There was laughter jumbled with other conversations, breathing life into the room despite the time being close to midnight. But despite the oddities present before them, they both gave a nod and silently wondered what awaited them the next day.

Because now, they were part of the Hero Class of 1A.

* * *

 **That was Chapter 5 and the end of the 1A introductions! I hope I made this portion entertaining enough for you my dear readers, since exposition is my weakest aspect in writing next to fight scenes. But anyway, what do you think of the class so far?  
**

 **"I hope there aren't any squirrels around because their completely nuts."**

 **Well, so is the Canon cast. And while I've finished 1A, I'm going to have to fill in the other class rosters. But all in due time... Anyway, I should probably explain where some inspirations came from for some of the OCs mentioned this chapter.  
**

 **"Start with that Mei girl cause I like her."**

 **Of course you do... Anyway, the base thought I had was 'what if I had Mineta, but competent'. Then add onto an improved version of Hatsume Mei's Quirk... And out came Kazuku Mei.  
**

 **"What a nightmare! But I know I would abuse the Hell out of her powers!"**

 **Then there's Kana, who I built her character around her quirk. Party Time was an ability I thought about submitting to the Fan Fic "Quirks For Deku" by Thanos Cradik. If you're unfamiliar with that story, it's plot basically has Midoriya manifest random quirks and causes accidental mayhem to both his surroundings and his own sanity. Great read if you ever have any free time.**

 **"One part had the poor sod blow the clothes off of some guys and girls."**

 **Musubi was just me projecting my personal fetishes, sorry if that made you uncomfortable.**

 **"Don't apologize, we're all closet weirdos with our own flavor of pleasure."**

 **I suppose so, but I digress. Next is Sho and unfortunately, he's the odd one out as he was the last one to be created and I didn't give much thought to his personality.**

 **"You can't expect every character you make to be flawless. After all, doesn't the minds of men creates larger than life Heroes and Gods in their own flawed image?"**

 **Jon Tron. Anyway, I suppose not all characters could be winners... Next is Ina and I also built her around her quirk. Recently, I've been playing Skyrim again for the mods and I've been playing with stealth. Then I was playing around with the Throw Voice dragon shout and thought, that would be a pretty interesting quirk. Combined with a high voltage stun rod, Sasaya Ina was born.  
**

 **"Zippity Zap Zap."**

 **Lastly is Kagaku Fuwa. It's kind of confusing since it sounds very similar to Mei's last name, Kazuku. But where Mei is a loose cannon, Fuwa is more like Yaoyorozu in personality but wields a very impolite quirk. And her quirk has a story to it as well. Originally, I planned on making Chem Filter a stand alone ability but I thought about how limited it's use was as a Hero. So I compounded it with super spit to create Chem Dispenser. Also I drew inspiration from Big Hero 6's Honey Lemon when it came to how Fuwa utilizes Chem Dispenser.**

 **"Imagine the kind of danger she would be if she was a villain? Chemical Weapons for days."**

 **I mean, they're all super dangerous if they didn't have their desire to use their abilities for good. I mean, if you think about our Canon cast, all of them could wreck all sorts of havoc. Especially Bakugou. Anyway, let me give you, for the last time, the 1A class roster now that we're introduced to everyone.**

 **Eri, Quirk: Quirkless?**

 **Izumi Kouta, Quirk: Water Creation**

 **Kagari "Akko" Atsuko (Home Series: Little Witch Academia), Quirk: Slumbering Sorcery**

 **Joshima Ken (Home Series: Katekyo Hitman Reborn), Quirk: Animal Channels**

 **Fujiki Yusaku (Home Series: Yugioh VRAINS), Quirk: Sketch Summoning**

 **Masaki Takeo (Home Series: Treyarch's Call of Duty Zombies), Quirk: Reflex**

 **Yuzuriha Inori (Home Series: Guilty Crown), Quirk: Special Song**

 **Shiomi Kotone (Home Series: Persona), Quirk: Inner Self**

 **Satsuei Eiga (OC), Quirk: Thousand Faces**

 **Osoroshi Rei (OC), Quirk: Soul Eject**

 **Shokuji Ryo (OC), Quirk: Supplemental Cuisine**

 **Takara Kou (OC), Quirk: Completely Golden**

 **Chosetsu Hitoshi (OC), Quirk: 3rd Law Modifier**

 **Fukutsu Taki (OC), Quirk: Badger Form Plus**

 **Yoroko Kana (OC), Quirk: Party Time**

 **Sasaya Ina (OC), Quirk: Throw Voice**

 **Kazuku Mei (OC), Quirk: Adaptive Vision**

 **Musubi Ken (OC), Quirk: Rope Meister**

 **Zassou Sho (OC), Quirk: Overgrowth**

 **Kagaku Fuwa (OC), Quirk: Chem Dispenser**

 **"Hot damn, what a list."**

 **I know, it's only going to go up from here on out. Anyway, I'm tired, so I'm going to pull the plug here. We'll be returning to our regular update schedule, so tune in Sunday for a glimpse at what next morning brings for these characters. And I hope you get as much enjoyment reading it as I did writing it. But leave your questions, comments, and concerns in the usual place and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.**

 **"And throw in some scathing critiques while you're at it."**

 **I accept it all for the betterment of the story. Anyway, that's all I have this week. So...**

 **Until next time. T1.**

 **"Ciao Ciao."**


	6. Chapter 6: Morning Rituals

**I only own my OCs, everything else belongs to their respective creators.** **Warning, may contain Out of Character moments.**

* * *

Eri closed the door to her room, wearing loose sweats and had her hair all tied up. It was still five thirty in the morning and most of her peers should still be asleep. This was a side effect from training with her old teacher, who drilled some military style training into her skull so it may build both her body and spirit. While harsh, it did wonders to the once weak body she had and was now fairly athletic, ready to handle the strain of Hero training. However, the moment she reached the first floor, there was two points of interest that drew her attention.

The first was a meditating Takeo outside in the courtyard, keeping completely still as a genuine katana rested on a mat in front of him. The utter calm that her classmate radiated brought peace to Eri as she watched him reach a level of tranquility she didn't know was possible. But while it was amazing to watch the stoic boy, it would be best if Eri moved on.

Then there were the noises coming from the kitchen and the girl could already tell who was there. Looking through the glass panes that separated the courtyard, Eri could see Ryo hard at work preparing something, though it was too early for it to be breakfast. But whatever it maybe, Eri could already smell something cooking and it was threatening to put her in a trance.

She tried to force herself out the front door before she could bother her classmate… Though it was ultimately futile as delectable curiosity won out and caused Eri to drag her feet towards the kitchen. Out on the dinner tables, one of them having been scrubbed clean from yesterday's fire incident, were systematically arranged bento boxes of similar dimensions. Upon closer examination of the lids, the horned girl found that they had the names of everyone in 1A written on them.

"You're preparing us lunch!?"

The chef nearly jumped and drop whatever he carried but was able stop himself from doing so. Ryo looked over his shoulder and sighed in relief before returning to his culinary duties. This prompted the girl to move closer and observe her classmate in his natural habitat, noting how quickly the chef move through the different 'stations' he has set up.

"To answer your question, I am. Did you think I was joking when I said I was going to cook breakfast, lunch, and dinner for everyone?"

"Not really… But all of this seems like a lot of work. Where do you even get all the ingredients? Didn't you use a bunch yesterday?"

"I like cooking, so it's not a problem no matter how many orders I have. And my parents manage produce delivery company, with routes that goes all over the country. One of those routes would lead directly here at precisely four in the morning, supplying us with fresh ingredients for the day. The boxes they came in are over there." Ryo said, gesturing with his knife.

Eri looked over and saw the few collapsed boxes sitting in the far corner of the kitchen. And on the counter, the girl could see copious amounts of fruits and vegetables neatly stacked as various meats in bowls of marinade. While she felt kind of bad that her classmate goes through this much work and wanted to help… The girl knew better than to doubt the man who all of one 1A considers the Master Chef. That and she doesn't really know how to cook anything beyond the basics.

"I guess you do early morning runs too? I mean you're wearing sweats and everything."

"Yeah, I was going to head out but got distracted. So… I guess I'll go and leave this to you."

"Did you stretch? Because sprains aren't any fun."

"Already did. And believe me, my old teacher wouldn't let me forget the importance of being limber during training."

"Oh! And if you see Kazuku out there, tell her that I'm going to mix in beef liver with her lunch."

Ryo then proceeded to pick up a slab of smooth, brownish red meat that Eri assumed was liver. But as the chef began cutting into the slab, the girl realized who Ryo was talking about. Kazuku Mei looked all sorts of scraggly and lazy last night, not the type of person who would wake up at the crack of dawn for a work out.

Then again, there was so much that Eri didn't know about her classmates.

"Mei? The one with special eyes? I didn't take her for a morning person." Eri commented.

"Neither did I. Takeo out there?" Ryo asked, gesturing to the meditating figure out in the courtyard.

"Reasonable, totally expected that. Kazuku? Nope, not possible. But she just walked out the door fifteen minutes ago. So I feel like everything we learned about her yesterday was a lie and we haven't seen the true Kazuku Mei yet."

"I think she's just messing with you, wouldn't put it above her."

"Probably. Anyway, I shouldn't keep you here any longer. I'll see you when you get back."

Eri nodded and began making her way to the front door. After slipping on her sneakers, she opened the door, felt the cool, early morning Spring air breeze past her, and stepped outside. Crisp, clean air kindly filled Eri's lungs as she stretched out her legs, taking in the atmosphere of the fair weather that surrounded her. And before long, the girl began jogging, fully intent on going around UA as many times as her legs would allow.

Early mornings were always peaceful, but the UA campus was especially serene. The rustling of trees in the wind, the chirping of the birds, the way the main building stood tall as it bathed in the light of the rising sun… All was perfect to Eri…

"On your left."

Then it was all disrupted… By another pair of footsteps and a somewhat snide remark that came, true to the voice's words, from her left side. Looking over, Eri's red eyes met the silver gaze that belonged to her scraggly haired classmate, Kazuku Mei. While the girl also wore sweats like Eri did, Mei also had four plastic rods strapped to her thighs. Each one was about 26 centimeters long and had a diameter of 3 centimeters, they also appeared to be threaded. Then there was the fact that the sticks were completely worn down, as though they had seen several years of abuse. Could this be connected to what Mei said the other night about 'knowing how to swing something'?

But let's not jump right into something like that, small talk first.

"I didn't expect you to – "

"You don't need to beat around the bush with me, I know you were staring at my legs. Wondering how they looked beneath these pants? Well if you ask nicely, we could find a private place where I could put on a show for you… Or were you staring my beat sticks that I so lovingly strapped to my body?" Mei interrupted.

"The latter… But let me say this now before you get the wrong idea, I don't swing that way."

"But of course! You could swing around however you want! This isn't a playground where we swing around with a push… The World's Jazz! We're swinging all over place! All the taps and steps and jumps and twirls and moves are yours to make! Let your own tune take you anywhere! Just as mine tune takes me EVERY WAY!"

But what caught the girl off guard even more was that Mei began dancing the moment she finished talking. And though she had to keep up with Eri's jogging speed, that didn't stop her movements from being beautifully fluent, rhythmic, and dynamic. And despite not being on an ideal stage, she still managed to radiate a unique energy that made Eri feel awake, even more so than when she first woke up feeling the effects of Ryo's cooking from last night.

But alas, Mei stopped her sudden dance number and resumed jogging, her breathing being a lot heavier than before.

"And I totally get why you're not into anyone else, you have that cute grump of a boy as your cuddle toy. The way he protected you from our Golden Boy? A++, serious brownie points for him. I mean seriously, you must be his queen or something if he went all guard dog in front of us. Which, by the way, are not very fun to piss off."

"Mei, we're not…" Eri's cheeks were starting to turn pink at the implications of Mei's misunderstanding. But before she could rectify the wrongs of her classmate, the girl interrupted her by continuing along that train of thought.

"And it's a two-way street! When Mad Lad Jr. got up in his grill, YOU told him off by going One True Hero on him! THEN you chastised your BF like a puppy in the wrong for trying get into an ego measuring contest! And he LISTENED! If that's not true love right there, I don't know what is… How's his kissing anyway? Is it innocent and sweet? Or is it hot and nasty? Or is it like having sex with your mouth!? Literal oral sex!"

The light peach blush soon turned cherry red as Eri failed to stop the thought of her mouth being handled that way by Kouta. But before the poor girl's imagination could drag her consciousness into fictional scenarios dirtier than the rumors surrounding Grape Shot's office, Eri blurted out the truth she's been meaning to get out.

"WE'RE NOT DATING!"

For some reason, Mei looked completely offended by this admission. Almost as if some reality she cooked up in her imagination was under the threat of being shattered. But despite this look, Mei decided that raging against her classmate wasn't going to change anything. So she decided to not goad Eri into a hot, steamy relationship with the wet knight… For now…

Though that's not going to stop Mei from bombarding her classmate with lewd thoughts and sexual innuendos. Consequences be damned!

"Really!? But you're such a perfect fit for him!"

"I… I don't think we're that compatible…"

"No! No! FIT!"

Eri still had no idea what the girl was talking about. As a result, Mei smirked as she began gesturing towards her lower extremities while mouthing 'Fit'. And only then did Eri get the implications of her classmate's comment… Which lead to her face lighting up so brightly that Mei swore that the horned girl's white hair just changed colors.

"W-W-W-W-WHAT ARE YOU GOING ON ABOUT!?"

"You know, his 'ego'! Not as big as our Golden Boy mind you, but certainly large enough to make a girl like you–"

"Nope! Not listening!"

"I'm just saying, if you find yourself in deep with the wet knight… YOU'LL be the wet one and HE'LL be in deep." Mei said, trying hard to keep a straight face.

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" The red covering Eri's face only got worse and threatened to dye her sweats the same color. Mei began choking on laughter but had to hold onto her failing composure to see how far she could drive the horned girl up the wall.

"And wait till he sees you bare it all! Because girl, I've seen it! You've got one banging bod beneath those loose threads of yours! It's so hot, he'll need to spray you down with–!"

"I'M OUT!"

Eri broke into a full nervous sprint, mind completely in fight or flight mode, thinking that she was about to die from embarrassment. She also concentrated on expelling all the dirty thoughts that Mei so lovingly filled her head with. Like kissing Kouta, touching him, tearing off his clothes to – NO! NO! BAD! BAD!

"Yeah girl! Keep running! Work that ass!"

Turning around, Eri paled as she saw her classmate keeping up with her step for step. What's worse, Mei's one visible eye wasn't silver anymore, but deep purple instead. She tried to slow down to let her crazy classmate pass, but Mei also matched her change in speed so that she would always be behind. Eri's brain wracked itself for a solution as she continued to adjust her speed to no avail. That's when she had an idea… If she were to serious go after Mei, then her classmate will have to turn tail and won't have an opportunity to look at her.

Pulling a 180, Eri began charging at Mei at full speed. But instead of turning around to escape her furious sprint…

The girl began running BACKWARDS! At the same speed as Eri no less! Mei began laughing harder as confusion spread across the horned girl's face, not believing what was in front of her.

"Welcome to the big leagues young Padawan! Also, love the color!"

"KOUTA'S RIGHT! YOU'RE THE WORST!"

"Thank you! I try very hard!"

And throughout the campus, the screams of one girl chasing another cut through the serene morning air… Waking up just about everyone.

* * *

 **And that was Chapter 6. So... When I mentioned that Mei was a more competent Mineta, I wasn't joking.**

 **Anyway, let's talk about the perverted classmate archetype. Through out the fiction I've seen, this kind of character never actually gets any kind of gratification. And I get it, it's completely immoral for them to actually succeed and by showing failure after failure, you dissuade people from trying it out in real life lest they want to suffer a most humiliating fate. But by doing so, we become desensitized to the butt monkey, pervert type characters and don't really expect much out of them in the future. Like Mineta for example, lots of room for potential development in his character. But so far, most of the fandom and the author keeps kicking him into the rut he's in.  
**

 **Now that's not saying I don't find everything he does creepy and they should really get a restraining order on him... But we should look for ways to punish Mineta's behavior that will push him towards some kind positive growth, deliver an ultimatum that will make or break his career as a Hero. So far it's just knock him down from his perversions before the imp springs back into his devious delusions, slap stick comedy. What I'm talking about is have him pick between climbing the Stairway to Heaven honestly... Or be given a one way trip down the Highway to Hell. And one wrong move will have Mineta tumbling all the way down like slipping on the world's longest staircase.  
**

 **And that's what I'm aiming for Mei. She goes around, passing around lewd jokes the same way restaurants gives out samples, before being given the ultimatum and force her to think about how her actions are affecting her classmates and her own future. That's how I think the perverted classmate Archetype should be handled, give them a reason WHY they should cut it out and have sit on it. Because the slap stick method has been done to death and been completely ineffectual. Seriously, wouldn't things be more interesting to see this kind of metamorphosis?**

 **"That was pretty long winded dude. Like, wow."**

 **Just an observation I made towards the subject. But now the issue I face is trying to make Mei's change in behavior believable, otherwise it'll just be bad writing on my part.  
**

 **"Such is the curse of writers, trying to handle character development..."**

 **Shush you, I'm going to attempt it. I don't claim to be the best writer out there, all I ask for is a chance. And please, if anyone of you got any tips for me, just say it. I really am trying to make this story enjoyable to everyone who bothered to pick it up, to not waste their precious time.**

 **Anyway, that is all I have for this week. Join me next Sunday and we'll have a look at what the first official day of class looks like.**

 **"Where Mr. Writer man tries to bore them to tears while keeping you entertained."  
**

 **At least, that's the plan. So...**

 **Until next time. T1.**


	7. Chapter 7: The First Day

**I only own my OCs, everything else belongs to their respective creators.** **Warning, may contain Out of Character moments.**

* * *

Dressed in their uniforms, the class of 1A now sat in their classroom talking amongst themselves. And though the personalized breakfasts that Ryo cooked up gave them all the necessary energy they needed… One of them was extremely listless and had her face pressed against her desk, hair splayed across its surface. Kouta looked on with worry at his friend before turning to the closest group of classmates, the one directly behind him.

"Do any of you know what happened to Eri?" He asked. Eiga, Rei, Ryo, Akko, and Taki turned to the cap wearing boy and gladly answered his concerns. Though they weren't entirely sure what was up with the girl.

"All I know is that she went out on a morning run while Kazuku was out there." Ryo replied.

"Wait, Mei? That girl looked like she constantly needs 12 hours of sleep, what was she doing out there so early?" Rei asked.

"Living a secret life, no doubt. But since I'm an unimaginative badger, I can't begin to think of what that secret life might be." Taki replied.

"Well whatever her deal is, she had a clear effect on Eri. Did you see how unmotivated she was at breakfast? All she did was poke things with her fork and didn't look at anyone." Eiga commented.

"She didn't want to talk to anyone else either, Kouta included. Which is a real surprise since you two are practically together together." Rei replied, turning to the boy in question.

"We're not together."

"But that's different from being together together."

"Then we're not together together."

"But seriously, shouldn't we talk to her? Find out what's wrong?" Ryo asked.

"I'll try asking her now." Akko said as she began walking towards Eri.

"So… Uhh… How did you two meet anyway?" Eiga asked.

"I swear, if you're trying to insinuate something between me and Eri–!"

"Relax man, I'm not that nosy. What am I? Rei?"

"Yeah! What is he? Me…? HEY!"

"I guess you're not as bad as she is… Fine. We met at the start of second year primary. I found out she was saved by Deku like me, we talked a lot about him, and then we became friends. The end." Kouta answered without any enthusiasm.

"That whole thing sounded a bit forced, like wooden acting." Eiga replied.

"Well so is this conversation but you don't see me questioning it."

"Oh snap! This boy has bite!" Rei commented.

"More bite than my bite. And my bite is dangerous, because I'm a badger."

"Okay, I got the gist of what happened." Akko said, returning to the group.

"That's great! What did you get out of our gunslinger girl?" Rei asked.

"Is that what we're calling her?" Ryo asked.

"But it works, doesn't it? Plus, alliterative appeal." Eiga answered. Akko managed to somehow slap the three of them, getting their attention back on topic.

"Guys! Eri!"

"Sorry…"

"Okay. Apparently, Mei over there overloaded her brain with lewd thoughts during her whole morning run. You remember the shouting? That was Eri trying to make her stop."

"That completely startled me awake. Because I'm a badger, my animal senses were on all cylinders from the noise." Taki commented.

"Excuse me, I'm going to go drown our classmate now." Kouta said as he got up. The witch pushed him back into his seat, clearly not done explaining the 'gist' to the rest of them.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. Eri mentioned something about confirming what Mei said if you went in and drowned the girl. So she told me to tell you to stay put and let her handle it, otherwise it'll give Mei more ideas."

"I know I would if I saw you being all 'overprotective' of her. Like a knight with her princess!" Rei commented. Kouta glared at his classmates, eyes projecting the threat that they could all probably predict him saying. Still, while Rei was doing her best to not falter beneath the gaze of the capped grump, Ryo decided to ask the sensible questions.

"Aren't you all being a bit ham handed with what's going on between Eri and Kouta? I get that there's something between them–"

"There isn't anything going on between us." Kouta argued, folding his arms.

"I'm being honest here. Even if there may or may not be something between them, why are you and Kazuku, apparently, so focused on this? Shouldn't you just… I don't know, let it go? Cause to me, it looks like they're not ready for… Whatever it is you're forcing them into." Ryo continued.

"Thank you. And you, this is what someone with sense looks like." Kouta said before pointing to Rei.

"I could be sensible! Tell him Taki!"

"Osoroshi, because I'm an honest badger… I must say that you're not exactly collected up there."

"Wow that's harsh, your back-up bailed on you the first chance he got." Akko commented, staring at the stunned ghost girl.

"How dare you, don't talk to me ever again."

As Rei took a step away from the badger, Taki turned his face towards the chef with an answer on his tongue.

"But to answer your question Shokuji… You do realize that, even though we're Heroes-in-Training, we're still high schoolers, right? Even a badger like myself could understand that it's normal for someone like Osoroshi to wonder over the relationships of her classmates."

"You see! Even he gets it! I hereby restore your friendship status!" Rei replied.

"Okay."

"You're way too casual about all this. Is it because you're a badger and don't really care?" Eiga asked.

"Yes."

"At least he's honest. So, what are you going to do about Mei? You still want to drown her?" Akko said, turning back to Kouta. The capped boy was contemplative but conflicted, that much the rest of them could see. He wanted to help his friend, but that action would probably do more harm than good as it would give credence to whatever Mei said to Eri. And that was the last thing Kouta wanted to do, give someone as irresponsible as her a reason to blow up their ego.

"If Eri said she'll deal with it… Then she'll deal with it. That girl isn't so weak that she needs a Hero to rescue her anymore." Kouta answered with a sigh.

"Oh! Speaking of Heroics! What do you think we'll be doing during Hero Studies?" Eiga asked. That question seemed to perk up the group and they began bouncing ideas off each other with vigor, though Kouta was still acting like a grouch.

"Aww man, I can't wait! It's going to be so thrilling and exciting!" Akko cheered.

"I think they'll ease us into it, have us get a feel for Heroics and let us simmer in it." Ryo commented.

"No. As a badger, my intuition tells me they'll be throwing us in head first." Taki replied.

"That's probably it. We're training to fight villains and save people, not take a walk through a park." Kouta agreed bluntly.

"Whatever it maybe, I get to spook someone today." Rei replied.

"And I get to show off more of my powers." Eiga added. The door slid open and the class turned their attention to the sound, seeing Yaoyorozu with her Student Roster. This prompted the remaining students who were out of their seats to flock to their assigned desk, sitting down just as she reached the teacher's podium.

"Good morning everyone. I hope you've had a good night's rest because you'll be needing that energy later."

"Of course, Ms. Teacher! Our chef has prepared us all a five-star meal worthy of the Gods! I feel as though I could hold up the sky!" Kou shouted.

"And he made us lunch too. I feel like we'll be a slave to his cooking by the end of the year." Ina added.

"Will be!? I already am bowing down to our God of Cookery!" Rei replied. While Ryo was glowing at all the feedback he was getting, he did feel weird at the thought that people were going to literally bow down to him and his cooking.

Regardless of this brief tangent of chaos, Yaoyorozu calmed her students down and went through the standard homeroom procedure, taking attendance and making announcements. But it was only after homeroom ended that the freshmen class of 1A experience their FIRST day at UA! Though what came next wasn't what they were expecting and it was certainly not for the faint of heart…

LEARNING. MUNDANE. SUBJECTS.

Mathematics…

The rest of the class stared in confusion as Yusaku laid the chalk down onto the board's chalk holder. Written on the board was an extremely detailed, step by step explanation to the professor's, the Pro Hero Snipe, extremely difficult question. But due to the number of variables, formulas, functions, and calculations present, no amount of explaining would help anyone understand it. And only the most studious even bothered trying to copy it down, hoping to one day decipher this alien language.

"Thank you Fujiki. This right here is one of the most difficult calculations a Human could undertake, it's known as the Intervention Theorem. What this does is aid a gunner, specifically a sniper, take in all accounts of his environment before making the shot. Some variables include gravity, wind speed, distance, and the quirk factor, which is by far the most problematic variable." Snipe explained.

He so helpfully pointed to the characters of those variables so that the class could make note of that in the future. Though that still didn't help the overall confusion they felt, the board was still a garble of chalk.

"While this kind of calculation is normally performed by a computer program, it's still possible to calculate this with some brain power."

"SOME!? Even if I used my entire brain I still wouldn't get this!" Ken shouted.

"He's right sensei, this is kind of useless to us…" Akko agreed.

"Was there a point in showing us this? Because I got nothing from it." Sho asked.

"Admittedly no, I usually leave this up here as a challenge for anyone to attempt and no student has solved it until now. But to think you even used Matthias' Principle to cut down on the number of steps… You have a good head on your shoulder's Fujiki, I expect great things from you. Well done!"

Before he started to erase the board, the normally quiet Yusaku spoke up… To point out something out Snipe missed. Though to everyone else, it sounded like he was bragging about the amazing calculations he made.

"Check again Sensei. I included Lin's Revision of Aerodynamics and Marion's Factor to reduce the number of steps even further."

This time, even the Pro Hero was stunned into silence as what he said held truth. Somewhere in this mess of numbers was two other formulas that he failed to notice due to how seamlessly Yusaku transitioned between calculations. While some of his classmates had an urge to yell out 'NERD', they couldn't… Not when they were impressed with the stoic boy's impossible mathematical prowess.

For Yusaku, he was entering a state of half sleep.

English…

"Could any of you tell me which of these sentences is incorrect? And why?"

Currently their teacher was the Pro Hero Tsunotori Pony, and behind her on the board were four sentences written in English. Before anyone could have a moment to think, Akko excitedly raised her hand and stood up.

"It's number two! The tense of the second half doesn't match the first!"

"Good catch Ms. Kagari, it should be in past tense instead of future."

"No problem! I went to England for my quirk training, so I picked up a few things while I was there." Akko boasted.

"Are you talking about the all girl's school Luna Nova? I heard that place was crazy." Rei asked.

"To think that such a paradise exists! But alas, I could never reach it due to my glorious form!" Kou said.

"That and the fact that you're a guy!" Ina added.

"Let's not get distracted everyone, I was about to go in depth on tenses in the English language." Tsunotori said, reining the class' attention back to her.

"Sorry Sensei."

This brand of mundane nonsense continued through their other subjects. Social studies, when the instructor asked him a question concerning how norms and society shape one another, Musubi went on a long-winded tangent that was somehow still relevant to the subject. His answer consumed about 80 percent of the class period.

Modern literature, Eiga went on a tangent that was still relevant to the subject by saying how film adaptations of books have been improving lately as studios began hiring screenwriters who have extensive knowledge of said book. Because of this change in approach, all the important character dynamics and vital themes have been preserved while still being feature length and understandable by nonreaders. He ended up taking 60 percent of the class period with his answer.

This trend followed into Science, where Fuwa made a long comment on a specific chemical chain, and Modern Hero Art History, where Kou and Mei somehow asked all the relevant questions yet still steer the conversation off a cliff. But after lunch, where Takeo berated the five for wasting precious class time, the class' impatience reached an all-time high as it was time for…

Foundational Hero Studies.

The door opened as the class turned to see who their teacher was… Only to see Yaoyorozu carrying a large binder.

"Yaoyorozu-sensei? You're our teacher for this class?" Sho asked as the woman walked inside.

"No, I'm just here to support the person who will be."

"And that is?" Kouta asked. The moment he finished, a scraggly man appeared at the door and began walking towards the podium. The class stared at the man who clearly needed both sleep and a good haircut, a bit put off by how off putting he was. But for Kouta and Eri, they brightened up at another familiar face.

"Aizawa-san! You're our teacher!?" Eri asked excitedly.

"Well, at least we're in good hands." Kouta commented.

"How many people from UA do you two know!?" Kotone asked.

"Why is that a problem for you? I thought you were all for knowing people?" Rei replied.

"But you two seem to be two steps ahead of all of us!"

"This is true…" Hitoshi mumbled.

"Aizawa? I have a feeling I read that name somewhere…" Ryo mumbled.

"He's the Pro Hero Eraserhead." Kouta answered.

"Who dat?" Kana questioned

"Eraserhead. I guess you probably never heard of him since he avoids the media like the plague. But he's a super strong hero! I swear" Eri answered.

"Sir? Why is your Hero name Eraserhead? Because I don't think you look like the person who has seen the David Lynch film of the same name." Eiga asked as he raised his hand.

"A friend of mine suggested it and I was too lazy to come up with anything else, but that's not the point. As Izumi and Eri pointed out, I am Eraserhead, though you'll be referring to me as Aizawa, and I'll be your teacher for Hero Studies. Although we only just met, I already heard a lot about you."

"Is that so Mr. Teacher!? It seems our reputation precedes us!" Kou boasted.

"Calm down, I've heard what your other teachers said about you. Either they were impressed…" Aizawa said as he gestured to Yusaku, Akko, and Fuwa. The witch smiled brightly while the chemist was bashfully fidgeting in her seat, the summoner however didn't particularly care.

"Or annoyed." This time, the scraggly Pro gestured to Musubi, Eiga, Kou, and Mei. While the girl was snickering like a mad woman, the golden boy lost some luster, rope man seemed to have deflated, and Eiga awkwardly smiled.

"But regardless of what happens in your regular courses, there will be a different grading format for this class. Though let me remind you that this is a tough career with many hurdles, you cannot afford to make too many mistakes otherwise you or someone else will be paying the price. That's why I'll be expelling anyone who severely underperforms without exception. So don't slack off, work hard, improve yourself, hold to true to your values, and you'll become a fine Hero. Do I make myself clear?"

"YES SIR!"

"At least you've got the enthusiasm… Now get suited up, we're going straight into the fire with this first lesson. Yaoyorozu, if you will." Aizawa said before turning to his former student. She nodded and began explaining to her class what it is that they will be doing.

"Today we will be doing some combat training. You will be fighting with your classmates to see how you perform against a human target. Aizawa-sensei and I will be monitoring each one of you to determine what areas you need to improve."

While there was some surprised and nervous murmuring, Yaoyorozu brought their attention to present to them something else. When she pressed a button on a remote, parts of the left most wall moved out to reveal cases with numbers on them.

"These are the costumes that were made to the specifications and designs you have sent in. I hope it serves you well in the coming years."

With that, everyone got up, sought their number, and headed off to change. Eri gripped her case tightly, feeling all the nervous energy rattling her body as it was finally their first lesson in Heroics. She took a glance at Kouta, who in turn caught her gaze. While it was still a little awkward between them, the boy gave her a reassuring nod that certainly calmed her nerves.

Now was not the time for hesitation, for this was their first true step in Heroics.

* * *

 **And that was Chapter 7. Not very exciting, but there's not much you could do when you're up against...  
**

 **LEARNING. MUNDANE. SUBJECTS.**

 **"School, am I right?"**

 **Oh yeah. Anyway, I'm pretty worn out, took me forever to get in the mood to write something. So I think I'll just cut it off right here. Leave your comments in the usual place and I'll get back to any questions or concerns you may have.**

 **"Tune in next week for the prelude to war!"**

 **Not a war, just a practice skirmish.**

 **"A prelude to a friendly war!"**

 **There we go. Anyway...**

 **Until next time. T1.**


	8. Chapter 8: Battle Plan

**I only own my OCs, everything else belongs to their respective creators.** **Warning, may contain Out of Character moments.**

* * *

Replica City District, Afternoon.

"Here they are." Aizawa commented.

The Hero Class of 1A stepped out into the sun, all suited up and ready for action. While obviously unique in design, each of their costume said something about the person wearing them. Though there were some that were… unexpected to say the least. For instance…

"Why the Hell do you have a costume?" Ken asked, looking at Rei. Dressed in a tattered white, hooded cloak with a length of chain loosely around her shoulders, Rei's costume would be quite frightening had it not been for the cheery voice coming from beneath the hood.

"What kind of question is that!? I'm a Hero! Of course, I have a costume!"

"I think he means that no one would be able to see it while you are using your quirk. They'll only able to see you walking around with it but never in action." Inori answered. Her costume was a revealing red-red orange leotard with a floral print, fingerless opera gloves of matching color, and black stocking like boots. There was also a slew of flowing red cloth that hung off the girl's hips and gloves, most likely connected to her costume. It looked impractical but since she submitted this design in the first place, the singer was most likely confident that she could manage it.

"I don't want to look like a passed-out citizen though."

"And looking like a passed-out Hero is any better!? Seriously, you should've went with something simple, like me." Ken replied and gestured to his black-tie suit. While it looked like standard formal wear, the delinquent asked it to be as durable and flexible as possible so it would handle the stress of his animal shifts. But there was something that ruined the boy's pristine appearance… His lack of shoes.

"I'm sorry, but you look like a hitman who couldn't afford any socks or shoes. And that kind of ruins your image." Ryo replied. The chef's costume resembles an actual chef's uniform colored black, with a matching bandana in place of the hat. He also had studded leather gloves and two knives sheathed on his shoulder and thigh, the first a combat knife and the other a butcher's clever. Finally, there was his belt, which held an assortment of vials filled with colored liquids and a square case filled with who knows what.

"I don't know about you, but shoes are damn uncomfortable if you don't have human feet. I mean look at the badger, he doesn't need shoes and goes everywhere bare pawed."

"Because I'm a badger, there are no shoes that would fit me on the market. But since I have trotted around like this since forever, my paws are used to the ground." Taki's costume was nothing more than grey shorts and a special headset. But given that he's a badger, he probably doesn't need any extra protection.

"I just said that you little shit!"

"You're attention everyone!" The class looked over and saw both Yaoyorozu, in costume as well, and Aizawa, who was still dressed in his black sweats and scarf. Seeing that it was time to finally start class, they all approached to listen to their instructors on their task.

"As Yaoyorozu mentioned, this will be a combat exercise that will test your combat prowess, judgement, crisis management, and teamwork. All of you will randomly be divided into two teams, Heroes and Villains. The Heroes will be protecting an objective that is hidden somewhere within this mock city. The Villains has to seek out the objective, plant this device on it, and defend until the little timer on it runs out." Aizawa explained, holding out a round disk like contraption.

"The other victory condition is defeating or capturing all members of the opposite party. So when your team has been decided, please take a capture tape." Yaoyorozu added, gesturing to two boxes labeled teams and tapes.

"So… This is basically Counter Strike? Sweet…" Eiga commented. His costume was entirely silver colored, his trench coat, his fedora, his boots, his gloves, and the mask that covered his entire face. No one was sure how he could see properly since there were no openings for his eyes but they let it slide since the man was doing just fine.

"Before we begin, do any of you have questions about what we're doing? No? Then I want you to, one at a time, draw a ball from this box. If it's red, Villains, to my left. Blue, Heroes, to my right." Aizawa said plainly. Without hesitating, they began to move towards the box one by one and drawing their roles. And once they finished drawing, some more or less began acting their role and stared down their opposition.

 **Heroes:** Eri, Satsuei Eiga, Kagari Akko, Sasaya Ina, Kagaku Fuwa, Musubi Ken, Chosetsu Hitoshi, Kazuku Mei, Zassou Sho, Yuzuriha Inori

 **Villains:** Izumi Kouta, Fujiki Yusaku, Joshima Ken, Osoroshi Rei, Shokuji Ryo, Fukutsu Taki, Masaki Takeo, Shiomi Kotone, Yoroko Kana, Takara Kou

Pangs of anxiety rang within Eri, seeing that she must face her friend in combat so soon. As much she didn't want to paint a big target on him, the horned girl will have to place the boy she cared about under her crosshairs. Kouta was equally perturbed and looked at the girl with uncertainty, he didn't have the heart to fight her. But since there was no other option, he might as well battle her with everything he's got and apologize later.

"Hero team, follow Yaoyorozu to the objective. Villain team, wait here with me. Both of you may start plotting out a battle plan and fifteen minutes after the Heroes arrive to at their objective, we will begin the exercise. Understand?" Aizawa instructed. The class nodded and the Heroes began following their homeroom teacher while the Villains started plotting right away.

 **Hero Team**

"We should elect a team leader." Fuwa suggested. Her costume was surprisingly casual and made her look like a civilian. But what she did have was a belt/bandolier loaded with different colored balls and sleek looking safety glasses, separating her from the Average Joe.

"ME! ME! ME!" Akko cheered. She wore a white robe with a mid-thigh length skirt, had matching white knee-high boots, and both articles had red/gold accents. At the witch's hip was her collapsible wand and a peculiar short staff with seven round orbs imbedded in it.

"While I commend your enthusiasm, we should delegate that position to the person with the best skills in leadership." Musubi replied. His costume resembled mountain climbers gear but had bracers with coils of rope around them. The coil on his left ran up the back of his arm and into bundle of rope on his back while the coil on his right was isolated. The man also had a small knife and a short length of rope attached to his full body harness. And finally, his costume was extremely reflective, as though it was made of a latex like material.

"And that person, is you? Yeah, no thanks." Sho replied. Covered in vines, grass, and other plant matter, his costume greatly resembles a ghillie suit worn by military snipers. While it no doubt boosted the power of his quirk by giving him access to plants when there were none, it made him look more like a weed than a man.

"Could I have a go? I managed to get a good leader for this hour." Eiga asked.

"Well that depends on who it is." Hitoshi replied. His costume greatly resembled Deku's, red shoes and all. Only difference is that there was an intricate frame over it, reinforcing his body with a network of supports.

"You ready to follow Captain America into the jaws of death?"

"You got the Captain!? Hell yes!" Ina cheered. Her costume was like Fuwa's, completely casual and civilian looking. The only difference was that she had two stun rods hanging off her hips. The first was the one she brandished last night, the other looked heavier and was round as opposed to flat.

"But only for fifteen minutes once I activate it. So I get some pens and papers, we're going to need them."

"We don't have any." Inori replied bluntly.

"But we do have the next best thing… Sensei, could you make us some pens and papers?" Mei asked, turning to their teacher. Her costume was a white/green leather body suit and jade lens goggles, with her unkempt hair properly cleared away from her face. And on strapped to her thighs were the same 26 cm sticks that Eri saw this morning, although one pair was completely made of metal and didn't have a threaded end. Instead, it looked like one rod had a chisel while the other had a spike… How strange…

"I'm sorry, but I can't help you in any way during this session. So take this as a lesson in preparing logistics, always have something to write with ready. And while your phones would suffice, it's good to have a physical option."

"Oh come on! No one would know!"

"All of us would know." Inori replied plainly.

"Don't forget about integrity! Integrity!" Hitoshi added loudly.

"I abuse my powers to eat eye candy! I have no integrity! Right Eri!?" Mei said before turning to the horned girl. She turned away, not wanting to deal with her after the disaster of a morning run that occurred that morning. And despite wearing a mask, Eri knows that her blush is visible to her peers.

"Please don't talk to me…" She muttered.

"This won't affect your teamwork, will it?" Sho asked, looked between the two girls.

"That depends on her…"

"That depends on me!"

"Everyone, I've just thought about something that's troubling…" Fuwa began, finally speaking after a bout of silence. Her team turned to her and curiously stared at the chemical spitter, clearly interested in her thoughts. Though…

"Is it about Kou and his massive–!?"

"No Kazuku, it's not. I'm being serious right now."

"Kill joy…"

"Is it about me being leader? If so, I'll hand the reins to you." Eiga asked.

"It's not. But it does involve the need for pen and paper… I think we should turn off our communicators and phones before the exercise officially starts."

That surprised the others. While the phone thing was understandable, since something unimportant could come up in the heat of combat… Turning off the communicators in their ears was a questionable suggestion. But before any of them ask why, the girl who suggested it offered her explanation.

"I've been bothered by how Fujiki solved that challenge Snipe-sensei wrote on the board. How did he solve something so advanced? Lin's Revision and Marion's Factor are Advanced Formulas that are too complicated and too specific to be used in general calculations, so it's limited to one profession… Remember what he said about snipers having computers to help them calculate the Intervention theorem?"

"That's about the only thing we understood from that." Akko replied.

"I think I know what you're getting at… No, I don't." Musubi replied.

"I believe that the only reason Fujiki knows Lin's Revision and Marion's Factor is because he studied programming, the only field that would use those two functions."

"I get it! Since it's so advanced and it has connections in programming… The fact that Fujiki knows about it is because he's one of the top tier types of programmers! He's a hacker!" Eiga answered.

"I see, that makes sense." Inori replied in her usual dull tone.

"It does!?" Akko asked, still unsure if that adds up.

"Well it's only speculation, but I firmly believe that is the case given what I know about Fujiki." Fuwa said. Eri nodded, feeling that she might be correct about their serious classmate. Everyone had a hidden side to them after all… The horned girl's eyes drifted towards Mei as a testament to that statement. Eiga seemed to have went into overdrive as he began shouting his first order with vigor, seeing that no one argued against his position as team leader.

"Then let's do it! Phones and communicators… O–!"

 **Villain Team**

"You could do what!?" Ryo asked, looking at Yusaku. The man in question was fiddling around with a round device on his arm… As two of his team members were stroking his hair. While his hero costume consisted of a green/black bodysuit with a few glowing lines running though it and a silver belt. The most drastic change was the fact that his dark blue/blue/pink hair was now red/gold/pink. Rei and Kana were trying to debunk if it was a wig, but so far found no proof of it. So, the two deduced that it must be those special sprays that allow one to temporarily dye their hair. The man was also wearing eyeliner because why not.

Though Yusaku's appearance was not the problem, his admitted skill was.

"I could hack into their phones to obtain their locations once the exercise starts, cutting down our search time. Then I'll hack into their communications to obtain whatever orders they give in real time so that we stay one step ahead of them."

"That's useful… And scary…" Kotone commented. The girl's costume looked very much like a school uniform with a distinct red armband pinned to the upper sleeve. In her hand was a staff and strapped to her thigh was her holstered evoker.

"Could you hack a bank?" Ken asked, already feeling several glares burning a hole in his head.

"I could, but I have no need or want to. And before you ask, no, I'm not going to siphon money for you."

"Hey! I'm not that big of a shit!"

"As an honest badger, I have to say that you're in fact, a big shit." Taki replied.

"YOU MOTHERFUCKER!"

"If that's your response then I guess Taki has a point." Kouta said with a smirk. The delinquent scowled and stuck his middle finger, aiming the rude gesture at everyone.

"I hate you all."

"Don't be like that Ken-Ken, you know we all love you." Kana cheered. The girl's costume resembled that of a jester with a large multi-colored poncho on her shoulders. And every time she moved, the bells on the end of her silly hat jangled and rang in an amusing/annoying way.

"I'd yet to see proof of that, but sure, whatever helps you sleep at night."

"I'm sorry to interrupt your banter, but we should focus on our battle plan. If I may Fujiki, I'd like to get everyone's opinion on this strategy." Takeo said. He looked like a modern cross between a samurai and a ninja. While his face remained exposed, his body was covered by semi loose shirt and pants with his left side and chest was protected by armor. At his left hip were two swords, one wood while the other was genuine steel. But according to him, it will stay in its scabbard unless a dire situation were to occur.

"Go ahead, though I'm not sure why you would assume I'm the leader."

"Then allow me to take the reins of this battle for I am both bold and capable!" Kou shouted. The golden boy's costume, like Takeo's, resembled a warrior of ancient times, a gladiator. His arms were covered in overlapping bronze colored plates, his head had similarly colored helmet and face plate, and around his neck was a thick, similarly colored choker. His lower half, while having period looking sandals and waist cloth, also had a compact exoskeleton system to help augment his poor speed.

"How about… NO! We're trying to win, not look like idiots!" Ken shouted. He would've hit him upside the head, but you know… The boy was made from GOLD. Regardless, Takeo moved on explaining his strategy.

"Once we locate their positions, I suggest we move in two teams of three and two teams of two. The first two shall act as the vanguard while the other two acts as support."

"Consisting of?" Kouta asked.

"The first vanguard will consist of Takara, Shiomi, and myself. The second will be composed of Fukutsu, Fujiki, and Joshima. The first support will be you and Yoroko while the other will be Shokuji and Osoroshi. This is based on any glaringly obvious weakness this team has, like Shokuji's and Yoroko's lack of a mid to long range option. Does anyone have any objections?" Takeo explained. Kou immediately raised his hand, voicing some sensible concern about their current arrangement.

"While I do not object having the company of a fine lady on my team, why is it that I need a team in the first place? Aren't you aware that I am a Golden God!? A Titanium Titan!? A Titanium Gold Titan God!? Nothing could stop me!"

"Why is it that we're stuck with the narcissistic idiot?" Kouta grumbled, massaging his temples.

"Well the good guys have Mei, so it balances out." Rei replied.

"Even I wouldn't survive if those two were together, and I'm a badger." Taki added.

"Takara, even a boulder could be weathered away by the winds and the rain. If we left you alone against either an opponent faster than you, has longer range than you, has partners available, or all three, even you would eventually fall. That's why you'll be covered by Shiomi and myself, to give you respite in moments you otherwise wouldn't be able to." Takeo answered. The golden boy wanted to argue, but you could see any possible response die in his eyes and he went silent… Only to spring back to his usual self.

"Very well! You both look like capable defenders! I'm counting on you to watch my back! Especially you Lady Shiomi!" Kou cheered, a wink aimed at Kotone. She instantly felt a weird chill run up her back

"You're welcome…"

"And how do you want us to engage the enemy?" Yusaku asked.

"Depends on how you wish to win. If we are to win by knockout or capture, the vanguard will fight any team we encounter as support flanks them, ensuring a surprise attack. Then they would either go down fighting or surrender, ensuring a victory for that skirmish. Then we rinse and repeat until all of our classmates are defeated."

"I like the sound of that! Let's rush them! Turn them into prey!" Ken said in a zealous tone.

"You sound a little too excited saying that…" Rei commented nervously, feeling a little concerned for the opposing team. Regardless of what was going on with Ken, Takeo moved on with his strategy.

"If we are to win by destroying the objective, it's best that someone sneaks through while the rest of us draws fire. Someone like Osoroshi or Izumi is best for that scenario with Yoroko and Shokuji acting as back up in defending the location. But once the exercise begins and we gain information on their positions, I'll modify our own formation to match the situation."

"Sounds good. Anything else you would like to add before we head off into the valley of the shadow of death?" Ryo asked, tightening his glove.

"If you haven't noticed, we are a team. Whatever happens, we keep the each other informed and be vigilant of our partner's flanks. This goes without saying, but do not act selfishly or rashly. While this a training exercise where our Senseis can stop us from going too far, any bad habits displayed or developed here will affect us during a genuine crisis. And mistakes like those will result grievous injuries and/or death to ourselves or someone else, a prospect we all wish to avoid at all costs. So please, recognize the difference between valor and overconfidence and use your sensibilities to its fullest. That is all."

After speaking, the samurai hadn't expected the small applause that followed. Ryo, Kotone, Rei, Kana, Kou, and even Taki were clapping, though for the badger it was more like batting his paws together. Kouta and Yusaku flashed a small smile in support while Ken didn't do anything, nor expressed any disapproval. Takeo became slightly flustered at the gesture, not expecting to receive such glowing support from his classmates. But that soon changed when Aizawa spoke to them…

"You have one minute left, I hope you're ready."

This time, it was Kouta who spoke for their team, determination in his eyes.

"We're more than ready."

* * *

 **And that was Chapter 8! I'm tired so I'll keep this brief.**

 **When coming up with everyone's Hero costumes I think about both their quirk and personality. For the transplant characters, I look either towards costumes they wore in canon or come up with something completely original, like for Takeo. And before you say anything, I know I haven't said anything about either Kouta's or Eri's costume because there's something important about both of their designs.  
**

 **"Well more Eri than Kouta as... You'll find out later on in this story!"**

 **Way to hold them over Eris... Anyway, you know the drill, leave your questions, comments, and concerns in the usual place. And, if you're up for it, include an OC resume and I might use them later on. Include their name, quirk, and a brief summary of their personality, strengths, and weaknesses. I'll be looking forward to meeting your characters.**

 **"Come on now, don't be shy, this ain't a speed dating."  
**

 **Next chapter we'll finally see some action!**

 **"A real civil war!"**

 **That's a pretty apt description of things to come. So with that said...**

 **Until next time. T1.**

 **...**

 **...**

 **...**

 **Incoming Random Hour!**

* * *

 **Super Hero Films in a Super Hero World, Hosted by Satsuei Eiga**

"Welcome to Random Hour! A bonus bit that allows us to talk about this story's world outside of our classroom antics! And for today's topic, I'll be your host but the next one may be another one of my classmates."

"Anyway, let's talk super hero movies. Sure in a society bloated with them, you get used to all the crazy stuff they get involved in. But there's always something special about watching Heroes on the silver screen. I can't describe it, but it's never boring. Every punch, every epic catch phrase, every time the Hero bounces back from some physical or emotional turmoil, it just fills you with a warm and fuzzy feeling. And it's those feelings that give us hope, something to believe in during our darkest hour when nothing's left."

"And that's something that helps us go back to what a Hero is. Call me old, but Heroism isn't what it once was, too many in it for the status or money. While there's nothing wrong with that, it turns the term 'Hero' into 'Glorified Police Officer' and gives Villains like the Hero Killer Stain a reason, though fairly flimsy, to hunt Heroes. So in an age of Heroes as a standard profession, classic Heroes from comics and movies are more appealing to the public because it's a feel good experience. Think about the first Iron Man movie where Tony Stark suited up for the first time in the Mark III to save civilians from terrorists. You cheered when he owned all of them and saved those innocent people!"

...

"Okay, maybe you weren't as excited, but still. Iron Man gave those people caught up in a war hope that things will get better. But in our reality, there are so few people that do so..."

"However, in the last decade, we've began seeing some really altruistic people. Random strangers running towards danger to save others who couldn't save themselves as Heroes began acting more Heroic. The cause? Well, that would be the One True Hero Deku. He and his predecessor, All Might, were some of the handful that acted like a true Hero to the people, bringing ease to them with a laugh and smile. And even when the chips are down, blood and rubble flying everywhere, they still managed to stand firmly on the ground and faced off their greatest enemy. That's why the two, along with their predecessors, are celebrated here in Japan, even if it's Deku who gets the most recognition. And in their footsteps came better Heroes who asked nothing more than to have people live their lives to the fullest and without worry."

"And while some aren't totally like that, take the Bane of Evil Catachan for example, they still have a really good effect on society."

"It's still on the rise, Heroic Heroes... But until we get to that point, I'll keep watching the Heroes of the Big Screen and continue to hope and believe in the future."

"This is Satsuei Eiga and that's the end of this Random Hour. Tell me how I did down in the comment box and peace out."


	9. Chapter 9: Strife in the Fog

**I only own my OCs, everything else belongs to their respective creators.** **Warning, may contain Out of Character moments.**

* * *

The minute passed by quickly and the time to battle was upon them. As soon as Aizawa announced it, Yusaku began running the tracing program loaded on his arm mounted device and the waiting began. So they took this moment to ask a question that's been bothering them…

"What is that thing on your arm anyway?" Kotone asked.

"It's a duel disk. You know, the one all Duel Monster players used to have before they moved onto the smart watch design. Which is weird that you're still using this kind." Kana replied.

"I use this model because it's older, since newer technology will have trouble compromising it due to the many differences between them. It's one extra layer of defense against any tech savvy foe I may encounter."

"And you just have hacking programs on it?" Rei said, staring at the device.

"I upload them onto it once I've finished the coding on my computer, all I need to do to activate it is make a few touch commands… In fifteen seconds, we'll have their exact location through GPS, look at your phones."

The team did as he asked and in that amount of time, a map flashed onto all their screens, with three sets of colored dots at opposite ends. While it was incredible that their hacker got this working, some other concerns were present.

"Which one of these colored dots is us?" Kou asked.

"Even a badger like myself could likely guess. The blue represents us while red represents them, though what are the two green dots?" Taki replied before aiming his question at his classmate.

"Our teachers."

"What a bold move! I've never seen such bravery!" Kou cheered, ignoring the glare he was receiving from Aizawa and a few other members of his team. But Ken seemed to have another issue altogether, even if it was similar in nature.

"Why the Hell are we on this map!? Did you hack us too!?"

"Of course, I believe in equality. Also, it allows our leader to get real time information on all our positions, they're marked with our initials." Yusaku answered bluntly.

"Ken-Ken's JK…" Kana giggled.

"You're too easily amused… I'm running the communication hack now. It'll be one way, so don't be worried about speaking by accident."

As Takeo studied the map and noticed something glaringly strange about it, the other team were gathered around in a circle as Inori's dot moved away from the others. This didn't go unnoticed by his team as well and looked towards him for any ideas, to which he had quite two.

"Either they are still in their planning phase and an argument forced Yuzuriha to act on her own…"

"Great! An easy victory for us!" Kou yelled.

"Or this is a ploy to throw us off. Fujiki, do we have access to their communication line?"

"We will in three… Two… One…"

"WHERE THE HELL DID YUZURIHA GO!?" Sho shouted. The Villain team flinched as their classmate's voice rang in their ears. Before any of them could question what was going on, the argument on the other end escalated.

"I don't know! She's not my bitch!" Mei shouted.

"Kazuku! That was completely unnecessary!" Fuwa shouted.

"Well excuse me if I'm the only one who finds her stand offish! I mean seriously, she barely says anything to anyone!"

"At least she doesn't run her mouth like you! I mean seriously! All you do is talk trash!" Eri argued furiously. Kouta knew the girl had a fiery side, but it was still discerning to hear the horned girl sound so angry.

"Are you still upset over this morning? All I did was suggest–"

"DON'T YOU SAY IT!"

"Guys, calm down. We still need to agree on a plan of action." Hitoshi said, trying to be the voice of reason.

"And what would that be my friend? Your plan is impossible since none of us are close to being the 'One True Hero'! His plan is just idiotic since I doubt we could to execute it properly! And her plan...! The less said the better! We're better off on our own!" Musubi replied, trying his absolute best to stay calm but clearly failed.

"Hey! My plan is great! We get Akko to–!" Mei shouted.

"Nope, not doing it! I won't use my magic for something so gross!"

"It's nature! There's nothing disgusting about it! Look at Sho over there!"

"I'm sorry, but he looks like a weed… Just being honest here…" Eiga commented bashfully.

"THAT'S IT! I'M OUT! I CAN'T WORK WITH ANY OF YOU!"

"Zassou! We need you!" Fuwa called out.

"Do we though? The man's a weed, he'll get in the way" Musubi said bluntly.

"You're not helping!"

"MEI! QUIT TOUCHING ME THERE!" Eri cried out.

"But you have such a nice ass…"

"GET OFF ME YOU WHORE!"

"Oh yeah baby… Keep talking dirty to me…"

"NOPE! I HAD ENOUGH OF THIS! YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN!"

"Not you too! We're not going to win this if we're fighting with each other!" Fuwa shouted.

"Then I'd rather lose on my own terms instead of being molested by HER!"

"I'll miss you darling… Ina, you want to – Where did she go?" Mei asked.

"This is a disaster! Why aren't you four helping me!?" Fuwa shouted.

"What are we supposed to say!? Things were getting crazy!" Hitoshi answered.

"For someone who admires and worships Deku, you sure are a hesitant coward." Musubi commented.

"I-I am not! If that what you think, then I'll go get our team back together!"

"Chosetsu no!"

"I don't think you have the stones nor the charisma to actually pull that off."

"You're not helping Musubi!"

"Watch me, I'll get them back. One way or another…"

"I'll go too! My Eri needs me!" Mei said cheerfully.

"HELP ME YOU IDIOTS!"

"They've made up their minds Kagaku, I don't think we could say anything that could change their minds." Eiga answered.

"And I thought we were getting along…" Akko said sadly.

"Me too… Me too… We don't have any more time to argue, we'll go with your plan Eiga." Fuwa agreed in defeat.

"Alright then, let's get into position. While we wait for them to come, we should try contacting the others."

"Then let's hope lady luck is still on our side after that mess." Musubi commented. From that point on, the Hero's communication line was only filled with attempts to call out to their team members. The Villain team didn't know how to react to this occurrence, some were sad while others were just disappointed.

"We'll stay in our respective teams and move in." Takeo said.

"But what about their fight? Shouldn't we give them a chance to fix things?" Kana asked.

"As I said before, any bad habits displayed or developed here will affect us during a genuine crisis. Their loss will give them the motivation to reconcile their relationship and will grow stronger as a result. We wouldn't want them making the same mistake again when it truly matters."

"Agreed. We're Heroes-in-training, this is something we must help them fix. Even if that means beating them in this training exercise." Yusaku agreed.

"You're surprisingly cold Masaki… I kind of don't like it…" Rei mumbled uncomfortably.

"I apologize but this is for the best. Have you decided how we want to win?"

"We'll go for a capture victory, but we'll stick to the formation you set us. No need to rub salt in an open wound by beating them up." Ryo answered.

"Then are you all ready?"

With a nod, the Villain team began moving out to engage the disorganized Heroes. They split off into their respective groups and began moving through the mock city. But as they began trekking deeper into the concrete jungle, a bizarre fog began to rob their visibility. This phenomenon wasn't without comment.

"Because I'm an obvious badger, there seems to be a fog." Taki commented over the communicator.

"The Hell? It was sunny just a minute ago." Kouta replied.

"You don't think we're walking into a trap, do you?" Rei asked.

"If so then it's too late to change formation, we've already stepped into their field. Stay vigilant! We don't know what's going to happen!" Takeo ordered.

"Yes sir! Captain Sir!" Kou shouted.

"This is seriously creeping me out…" Kotone said as she looked around, fog even covering the once blue sky.

"It's depressing…" Kana muttered.

"I've got a visual. According to the map, Yuzuriha is right in front of us." Yusaku said.

"What is she doing?" Takeo asked.

"Just… Standing around."

Before the hacker, the badger, and the delinquent was the slim silhouette of 1A's singer. They immediately went into cover and began observing the girl, seeing if there was anything suspicious. But from what they could tell, the girl was in a contemplative state and thinking deep thoughts.

"Joshima, capture tape her." Yusaku ordered.

"Got it…"

Before he could equip his cheetah teeth, Inori began singing… And her voice began haunting their hearts.

 _Flowers… Blooming in dark…_

 _There is a question I need to ask…_

 _Why do men always think it's okay to hurt their friends?_

 _The answer escapes me…_

With every word that hits their ears, the will to fight slowly began leaving their bodies. Without a word, Ken equipped his fangs and began charging the singer at full speed before he became too depressed to fight. He pounced, his body flying towards Inori as she opened her mouth to sing her next verse… But neither came to pass… As a gunshot was heard and Ken went flying back.

The delinquent hit the asphalt as the Fujiki and Taki went back into cover, Ken wasn't moving…

"Joshima Ken has been knocked out! He will now be escorted off the field by medical bots! Refrain from injuring him any further!" Yaoyorozu shouted over the PA. Before Yusaku say anything, he dodged out of the way of an electrified rod but only to stumble when another gunshot struck him in the leg. He dove into cover as the hacker played the first card he drew from his duel disk.

"I summon Cyberse Wizard!" A white and blue figure appeared between his attacker and himself, ready to defend his master at all costs. The person stepped into view, a little miffed that her sneak attack failed… It was Sasaya Ina.

"Taki!" Yuasku called out.

"I have my own badger problems! Sho is here!"

Yusaku's summon blocked a strike from Ina's stun rod, though it was clearly affected by voltage and the hacker felt it. Checking his duel disk, he noticed how Ina's dot was nowhere close to him, neither was Sho's near Taki's. This gave the hacker crucial information and began shouting into his communicator to warn his team.

"It's a trap! They're not where the map says they are!"

"I kind of figured it out when I got separated from Kou and Takeo!" Kotone yelled. She dodged the whip like motions Musubi were making with his ropes, which proved difficult in the alley he dragged her into. The girl even lost her evoker to her opponent when she tried to summon Orpheus.

"Status report!" Takeo shouted as he dodged a punch from Hitoshi. The samurai then followed it with a swift counter blow to his classmate's chest… But it looked like the strike barely fazed him.

He made a slight glance at Kou, who was in a boxing match with Eiga and was losing despite being a Titanium Gold Titan God. Every time he threw a wild haymaker, the film fanatic moved into his reach and pummeled his chest and face before backing off. And whatever blows did connect, Eiga seemed to have shrugged it off and went right back to punching, almost as if he was also made of metal.

"Taki and I are fighting Sasaya, Zassou, and an unidentified sniper, possibly Eri!" Yusaku shouted, finally activating his duel disk and placing down the card he drew on the hard-light blade.

"I'm fighting the other Ken!" Kotone screamed, unable to get any closer to her opponent.

"Takara and I are fighting Satsuei and Chosetsu! I need the supports to shuffle members! Yoroko and Shokuji, move in to aid Fukutsu and Fujiki! Osoroshi and Izumi, I want you to take the long way around towards the objective!" Takeo shouted, making another ineffective counter to his opponent's punch.

"Don't you think your shouting gives away the plan!?" Kouta asked, looking at the map to figure out a good path to the objective.

"Then we'll be able to hear them respond over the communicators! Let's just move!" Ryo answered as he began running.

"Remain vigilant! Yuzuriha, Kagari, Kazuku, and Kagaku are still unaccounted! Fujiki, do you have a program that locates their communicators instead of their phones!?" Takeo ordered.

"I don't! We're blind!"

"Damn it!"

"Could this possibly get any worse!?" Kou cried dramatically before taking another hit to the face. And almost as if fate hated them, the answer came from their communicators… In the sound of a somber song.

 _Flowers… Blooming in the sands…_

 _What is it you see from where you are?_

 _Do men always think that they cannot forgive?_

 _How long must this pain last?_

Inori's singing returned, slowly robbing the Villain team the will to fight. Rei proceeded to scream at the golden boy, which pretty much summed up how they were all feeling.

"You just had to say something!"

"Change of plans! Shokuji, Yoroko, find Yuziriha and stop her from singing!" Takeo ordered. But it was then that he felt a palm hit his chest, followed by the feeling of being thrown several feet. Shaking off the disorientation, Takeo began processing his opponent's quirk again, which allowed Hitoshi to consciously change any third law reaction on his body. Meaning he could amplify his own blows while softening any Takeo launched on him…

That's when it hit him, time for a change in tactics… The Samurai got up and immediately took a hiding position before Hitoshi came into view. Confused, the fanatic began searching for Takeo in the fog… Only to show his back to him. Immediately, the samurai launched a surprise attack and leaped towards his now unguarded enemy. Before even realizing it, Hitoshi went down with a thud, completely knocked out.

"Chosetsu Hitoshi has been knocked out! He will now be escorted off the field by medical bots! Refrain from injuring him any further!" Yaoyorozu announced.

"I apologize Chosetsu for such an anti-climactic end, but it was the only way I could defeat you. Your quirk is troublesome when handled directly since you are completely aware of all incoming blows. However, you are vulnerable when flanked and are hit with a sudden strike. But I need you to excuse me, my teammate needs my help." Takeo said to his unconscious classmate before running back to Kou.

When he arrived, the samurai saw the golden boy throw a wide hook… Only for Eiga to dodge underneath it and made a jumped into the air, throwing a straight towards the golden boy that contained all his body weight. The moment Kou turned, the fist connected with his face and he went spiraling down, lights out for the Titanium Gold Titan God.

"Takara Kou has been knocked out! He will now be escorted off the field by medical bots! Refrain from injuring him any further!" Yaoyorozu announced.

"Just in time too… My time with Atom just ran out…" Eiga panted. The film fanatic threw his body around and up went his guard, blocking Takeo's sudden strike from behind. The samurai moved back and took up a defensive stance, body still feeling weak from Inori's song, which was he could still hear over his communicator.

"Fujiki, disable the communication hack you have. We cannot allow ourselves to keep hearing Yuzuriha sing." Takeo said quietly so that his opponent cannot hear him.

"On it!"

Then the song cut off, leaving the line free of the hauntingly beautiful voice and was filled with chaotic screaming. That was all the samurai needed and he began focusing on the opponent in front of him.

"Have you ever seen M. Night Shyamalan's Unbreakable?" Eiga asked out of the blue.

"No. But I assume that will be your ability to for the next fifteen minutes?"

"Oh yeah. Think you could survive?"

"We'll see…"

As the two boys charged each other, Kotone found herself struggling against Musubi's bindings. After a long period of dodging and attempting to attack, she finally got caught. As the boy began approaching with the capture tape, she began concentrating. This didn't go unnoticed by her opponent.

"May I ask what you plan on doing while tied like that?"

"Something I really shouldn't be doing… Orpheus!" Kotone shouted, suppressing the immense headache she's suffering from. Her inner self immerged and Musubi tried to move back, only to be grabbed and pinned to a wall. The manifestation proceeded to take the capture tape from Musubi's hands and tie it around his arm, signifying his capture.

"Musubi Ken has been captured! Please leave the battlefield!" Yaoyorozu announced. Orpheus proceeded to disappear, leaving the boy to unravel his opponent. Though she did look very sick and clearly not well, so Musubi had to ask.

"Are you alright?"

"Not really… But I'm glad you're okay… Orpheus has a higher chance of going berserk if I don't use my evoker… I just need to rest… Just get out of here…" Kotone panted, still clutching her head.

"If the lady says so. Stay well."

Kotone leaned against a wall for support and began speaking into her communicator, still experiencing a splitting headache.

"I used too much energy… I can't help anyone right now… So please tell me we're winning…"

"Unfortunately, Osoroshi and I just found the objective. We didn't run into any one but we now have a problem… There's a weird glowing circle around it." Kouta answered, peering around the corner and stared at said circle.

"I couldn't go near it when I went ghost! I think Akko has something to with it!" Rei cried.

"Did you try washing it? As a clean badger, I think that would work." Taki replied as he continued to cut through Sho's vegetation. He normally didn't use his claws but was forced to cut through the vines sent to bind him. The badger was also starting to feel the exhaustion from being shot at by the distant sniper, who started using electric stun rounds instead of concussive rounds a while back. Even if he is a badger, there is only so much strain Taki could take before he won't be able to fight anymore.

"We did… Except that Eri shot at me every time I try to leave cover and Osoroshi can't get close." Kouta replied. He looked peered around the corner again and saw his friend standing within the circle, assault rifle aimed at him. While they tried to see if they could take another route to flank her, only to find all alleyways blocked up either by rock or some weird gunk. Rei couldn't pass through or over them either, the buildings next to them were the same deal. So now they were stuck between a rock and a hard place.

"Wait, Eri is over there? Then who's the sniper? How could they shoot with the fog up?" Ryo asked as both he and Kana finally located Inori, who has yet to stop singing.

"How did I not realize this before…? It's the only one who could see through it, Kazuku Mei. She must've gotten a rifle from Eri and was told to sit up there to take pot shots at anyone she sees. Don't worry, I'll get a lid on it." Yusaku answered. Ina hasn't given up, but the hacker could tell she was being worn thin. His three monsters seen better days as well, being on the brunt end of a shock stick, but Yusaku had his victory set.

"Appear! The circuit that leads to the future!" Yusaku shouted. A strange, slightly transparent square marked with eight arrows appeared in front of him and his monsters, Ina immediately back off slightly and grew incredibly wary. When the hacker saw that she was about to take off running, he activated a card he has set for a while.

"Trap activated! Isolated Coding! Monsters are unable to leave the field through card effects!"

Behind Ina, a hexagonal forcefield appeared, trapping her in the alleyway in which she fought the hacker. She tried charging Yusaku, only to bump into the strange square and immediately found herself trapped in a dangerous situation. Yusaku continued with his ploy.

"The summoning condition is two or more effect monsters! I set Stack Reviver, Backup Secretary, and Cyberse Wizard as Link Markers!"

His three monsters turned into red lights and filled in the bottom left arrow, the bottom right, and the one on top. At the center of the square, an image of another creature began moving and taking shape.

"Link Summon! Link 3, Decode Talker!" Breaking through, a blue armored knight appeared before Ina and completely towered over her, with a great sword as long as it was tall in its hand. The girl simply stared at the figure and put away her stun rods, proceeding to tie her own capture tape around her arm afterwards.

"Sasaya Ina has been captured! Please leave the battlefield!"

"Smartest move you've made this whole exercise." Yusaku commented

"If you think I'm going to fight that monster then you got another thing coming. See you later."

"Fukutsu, status report." Yusaku ordered calmly.

"Back to my last name now that the panics over… However, I am an ashamed badger when I say that I'm stuck and about to be captured. The gunshots stopped a minute ago though, so you could come out now."

Taki, exhausted from his endless cutting and enduring stun rounds, couldn't find the strength to break through the vines binding him. While the gunshots stopped just a minute ago, the badger was weak enough for the equally exhausted Sho to take him down on his own.

"Fukutsu Taki has been captured! Please leave the battlefield!" Yaoyorozu announced as Sho began removing the vines off the badger.

"You were too difficult to take down…" Sho commented.

"It's because I'm a badger."

"Yeah… Yeah…"

Something heavy was then laid down on the plant man's shoulder. Looking over, he saw the tip of a glowing blade and sighed. He held out his arm and Yusaku tied a capture tape around his arm.

"Zassou Sho has been captured! Please leave the battlefield!"

"I'm available, who needs help?" Yusaku asked.

"So am I, I've finished my skirmish with Satsuei." Takeo replied, tying his capture tape onto Eiga's arm.

"Satsuei Eiga has been captured! Please leave the Battlefield! There are only fifteen minutes left!"

"Go for the objective! Forget Yuzuri–!" Ryo shouted before being cut off.

"Shokuji Ryo and Yoroko Kana has been captured! Please leave the battlefield!"

"Shiomi, Fujiki, regroup with me. We'll move in to aid Osoroshi and Izumi together." Takeo ordered.

"I don't think I'm rested… Oh Hell…" Kotone grumbled.

"What is it?" Yusaku asked. Not a second later, did the hacker receive his answer.

"Shiomi Kotone has been captured! Please leave the battlefield!"

"Then it's just you and–!" Takeo immediately ducked and drew his sword, swatting away two more gunshots that came his way. In front of him was the singer… And she was dual wielding handguns. Scanning her body, the samurai didn't see any kind of holster incorporated into her costume. So where did she keep them?

"Fujiki, I'm in an encounter with Yuzuriha. Go to the objective."

"I have the same problem except it's with Kazuku. She already dodged two of my monster's strikes like it was nothing, she's surprisingly light footed." The hacker replied, staring at the giddy girl in front of him. She was twirling her plastic beating sticks with an amused smile on her face, clearly having the time of her life.

"Then we're in an unwinnable situation. Osoroshi and Izumi are suppressed and Kagari as well as Kagaku are still unaccounted for. We may have to surrender, not let this drag on any longer."

"Permission to attempt something stupid?" Rei asked.

"Seeing that we have no other options other than to lose… Permission granted. I wish the both of you the best of luck." Takeo answered before engaging the singer in battle.

"It's on you two now, hit them with everything you got." Yusaku replied, readying himself for Mei's charge.

Kouta and Rei pressed their backs against their cover as a few bursts of gun fire flew over their heads. Sometimes Kouta cursed his friend's teacher for teaching her firing discipline, allowing the girl to conserve as much ammo as possible. The boy turned to the last person that could possibly help him now.

"What's this stupid plan you have?"

"I… I don't have one… I just said that to give a morale boost…" Rei admitted nervously.

"That's pretty stupid… We don't have any more time left, this thing has three-minute timer, we have about seven. If we rush in there, plant it and hope for the best, then maybe we could win. Are you up for that?" Kouta asked as he held the disk-shaped device.

"And what about our Gunslinger Girl?"

"We'll wing it. I'll be your meat shield, spray some water to soften the bullets coming towards me. My other hand will be spraying the ground to wash away that weird circle so you could do your thing too." Kouta answered.

"Worth a shot… On three?" Rei replied. The boy nodded and both began readying themselves to make a mad dash. Three… Two… One…

"NOW!"

The moment Kouta and Rei ran out from behind their cover, Eri shouted something and the two found the scene in front of them change. First was a pellet that flew towards them, exploding between them in a disorientating flash the moment it touched the ground. The next were words in another language…

"Noctu Orfei Aude Fraetor!"

Seeing past the white blinding him, Kouta saw Akko in a window taking aim with a bow. Before he could react, the nocked arrow flew… And touched the circle surrounding the objective, swallowing it in green light. When it faded, the objective was not there anymore, stunning the two.

"Good work team… I'm going to go take a nap now…" Akko said before passing out. Somewhere, a completely drained Fuwa also passed out, mumbling something to no one in particular.

"Kagari Atsuko and Kagaku Fuwa has been knocked out! They will now be escorted off the field by medical bots! Refrain from injuring them any further!"

"Where did it go!?" Rei shouted before getting shot in the chest. Kouta looked over and found Eri opening fire at them, hitting them with bullet after concussive bullet. Ignoring the pain, the boy blasted the girl with a surge of water before grabbing his teammate and dragging her into cover.

"Did you make it to the objective!?" Takeo asked, dodging an attempted point blank shot from Inori. He lost his sword in his skirmish with her and was now forced to engage his classmate in hand to hand. While the samurai was competent, he was still unarmed against the gun toting singer.

"It just vanished! Up in smoke! Nothing but thin air!" Rei answered.

"What do you mean it just vanished!?" Yusaku answered as he summoned another monster. But despite having the field advantage, Mei was weaving in and out of his summon's attacks, causing them to hit each other. The hacker could feel the battle strain building in the back of his head, but it wasn't anything too severe.

"It's exactly as she said! Vanished! I think it's still somewhere in the area otherwise Aizawa and Yaoyorozu would've called a foul!" Kouta answered.

"We have only six minutes left! No time to search for it! There are only three left on the Hero Team, concentrate on besting your opponent!" Takeo ordered.

"Okay! Let's do this! I'm going Ghost!"

Kouta ran out of cover as Rei pushed ejected her spirit from her body, both fully intent on defeating Eri right then and there. Kouta fired a jet of water towards his horned friend, only for her to dodge out of the way and aimed her rifle at him. Rei, since she is invisible, flew up to Eri and reached for the barrel of her assault rifle… Only for the horned girl to pull away and retreat back a few steps, opening fire on Kouta again.

"I think she could see me!" Rei shouted before realizing Kouta can't hear her…

"And you can't hear me!"

"But I could." Eri said with a smirk. Rei tried to snatch her gun again, only for the girl to dodge again and fired another burst at Kouta. This continued on for quite some time, slowly causing Kouta to grow impatient with Eri.

"Go for her instead!" Kouta shouted as he pointed his palms towards the ground. Rei stopped attempting to snatch the gun out of Eri's hand and started to attack her person instead. This change in pattern caused the horned girl to make wider dodges to avoid the spirit haunting her, which unfortunately caused her to take her attention off Kouta. Releasing as much water as he could, the sent himself flying from the resulting geyser surging for from his hands.

The moment Eri turned to the noise, she felt a great weight tackling her to the ground. The spirit took this moment to disarm the rifle from her classmate as both Kouta and Eri crashed onto the ground. Quickly scrambling to straddle the girl, Kouta quickly grabbed her arms before she could throw out any punches and used all of his weight to pin Eri to the ground. And given that he weighed more than she did, it worked and his friend couldn't pry herself from his grip.

The two just stared at each other, eye to eye as nothing but the sounds of battles ranging in the distance was heard. While both were in a rather compromising position, the two were too busy focusing on something else entirely.

"We're still friends after this right?" Kouta asked.

"Well… That depends how well you handle losing." Eri answered, a smirk forming on her face. Before the boy could access his communicator, their Aizawa's voice came up over the PA system.

"Time's up! The Battle's over! The victors of this match… Are the Heroes!"

While some frustration was bubbling inside Kouta, he also can't help but feel proud that Eri managed to survive a two on one until the match was over. He looked at her again and mouthed his congratulations to her, a small smile on his face.

"Thank you Kouta, you did great too." Eri said, smiling back.

"You two look so cute right now! Or weird because Kouta's mounting you…" Rei commented. Snapping back to reality, it was then that the two realized the inappropriate position they were and immediately scrambled away from each other. Rei looked between the two and seeing how red hot their faces were made her giggle.

"Imagine what Mei would say if she saw that."

And in unison, they both shouted their thoughts at her, faces now burning from embarrassment and anger.

"DON'T YOU DARE SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THIS!"

"Don't worry guys, secret's safe with me."

"I'm serious! I'll turn you into a bullet sponge if you say even a single word!" Eri screamed.

"I'll turn you into a literal sponge with the amount of water I'm going to pump into you if you don't keep your mouth shut!" Kouta added.

All the ghost girl could do was defensively back away as the duo continued to furious bombard her with threats. She could tell they weren't going to stop until she could recite what they say by heart… It was going to be a while before any of them could leave…

* * *

 **And that was Chapter 9! As always, tell me what you think of the first battle sequence of this story. Apparently my brother told me that it's one of the better fight scenes I've written. But while his judgement is good, it's your words that will ultimately improve my abilities.  
**

 **"I think it's okay, kind of confusing with all the hopping about."**

 **My aim was trying to connect multiple battles to since the Villain team is shouting into their communicators. Anyway, it'll be the audience's word that will tell me how well I did. Anyway, I digress...**

 **Now I need to make a request, I'm in need of characters to fill the Student Roster. Whether they're an OC or a transplant, I'll try to do them justice and give them moments to shine. And their abilities don't have to be combat heavy, so long as it could provide the Heroes an advantage. So please, message me characters and I will start planning on where to place them. I'm counting on you.**

 **"Way to put the pressure on them."**

 **It's all I got... Any how, I'm tired, so I'll be ending things here. Tune in next week for a professional review of this battle.**

 **"Pretty boring I got to say..."**

 **It may be boring, but necessary if these kids are going to do any improving. But in any case...**

 **Until next time. T1.**


	10. Chapter 10: A Lesson in Review

**I only own my OCs, everything else belongs to their respective creators.** **Warning, may contain Out of Character moments.**

* * *

"What the Hell happened!?" Ken shouted as he barged into the observation room where his classmates were. The delinquent had this massive round bruise on his forehead, most likely from the concussive bullet he was shot with. His classmates weren't looking much better either, all of them having bandages on their faces, held a bag of ice against their heads, or walked around with a slight limp. In fact, the only one who was injury free was Mei and no one was sure how.

"Wow, all of you look terrible." The girl said with a grin.

"Just… Shut up…" Yusaku groaned, shifting the bag of ice from one side of his head to the other.

"How the Hell did you even get close to him without being blocked by all his buddies!?" Ina asked.

"Cause I knew how to swing a stick."

"We just fought on the same side and I still have no idea what that means!"

"I do." Inori replied plainly. She was gently rubbing her shoulders, having been struck there several times by Takeo after he got his wooden sword back into his hands. From the corner of the singer's eye, she saw Ryo holding his square case towards her.

"Want another health tablet?" He asked, gently shaking it as the contents inside rattle around slightly. The chef shared these strange tablets with his classmates, a natural herb medicine he made himself with the aid of his quirk. And after overcoming the uncertainty they felt and ate one, the class could feel their sore bodies recovering much more quickly. But it was very bitter and not very appetizing, so they all only ate a maximum of two.

"I'm fine, but thank you for the offer."

"Do you have anything to wake me up? I feel like I'm going to fall asleep again…" Akko asked, eyes in clear need of a bed. From his belt, the chef removed a vial of honey colored liquid and handed it to the witch. Without any hesitation, the girl down it and handed the vial back to her classmate. Not long after did Akko began appearing more energetic and more like her old self.

"That was great! What did I just drink!?" She asked excitedly.

"Why didn't you ask him before drinking it?" Fuwa questioned, staring at her classmates.

"Don't worry, it's just an energy drink I brewed. You'll be good for about three hours."

"Awesome…"

"COULD ANYONE TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED!?" Ken shouted.

"We kind of lost." Kotone answered as she continued to rub her temples, still feeling a slight headache.

"Yeah! No shit! I mean what was that fuckery they pulled!? With the fog and shit!?" He proceeded to violently wave his arms towards all the members of the Hero team. While it was kind of amusing to see him so furious, they should probably do some explaining before the delinquent blew a fuse. Before any of them could say anything, both Yaoyorozu and Aizawa entered the room.

"Is everyone here? Good, we'll begin our review of that battle." He said as he began looking through at his clipboard.

"Give me a minute Teach! I want to know what they did that screwed us up so badly!" Ken said

"Isn't that the point of a review? So, pipe down, you're starting to remind of another student of mine. First let me congratulate you on making it through your first training session without complaint, a few first years called it quits after saying how harsh all of this is."

"Was it always this bad? Not that I'm complaining, but we're more bruised up than I thought we would be." Hitoshi asked.

"The level was about the same when I attended UA, albeit with one or two fewer restraints. This is meant to emulate the perils a Hero might face out in the field whilst maintaining a safe environment to improve in. If you cannot handle something like this, then you stand no chance against real dangers. Please keep that in mind everyone and polish your skills as much as you could in moments like these." Yaoyorozu answered.

"Sure thing Yoyo-Sensei, we'll bang each other until we're glittering golden Gods." Mei replied casually.

"LIKE ME!" Kou said flexing his slightly discolored body, which was no doubt bruises.

"Because I'm a certain badger, I say you need to work on a few things Takara." Taki replied bluntly.

"Wait, did you just call Yaoyorozu-sensei Yoyo-sensei?" Sho asked, staring at the uninjured girl. It finally registered with the others as well, Yoyo-sensei?

"What? It sounded like a fun nickname."

"Please refrain from giving your teacher's nicknames unless they approve of it, show some respect." Aizawa said as he looked at his former student, seeing that she was slightly offended.

"But Yoyos are fun! You could do a whole bunch of cool stuff with them! Like Sensei!" Kana cheered. That seemed to have lightened their teacher's mood, but not by much.

"I appreciate the thought Yoroko-san, but it's not going to stick. Anyway, let's begin this review. To answer Joshima's question on the Hero team's plan, let's have Satsuei explain it since he was the one who plotted it."

"Of course, Sensei. Before I do that, let me tell you about what powers I got for the period. Atom, a robot boxer from the film Real Steel. David Dunn, from Shyamalan's Unbreakable… And Captain America from the Captain America movies." Eiga began.

"Well, that's certainly a reason why we were outmatched so soon." Yusaku mumbled.

"While it was cool that I got a good ability, I still couldn't do everything on my own. And, in reality, Kagaku and Akko did all the heavy lifting for this trial, especially Akko. She was the lynch pin of our whole plan. So we wanted to set up a surprise attack but since the weather was so good, that's impossible unless we wanted to hide in some buildings. But we weren't going to do that! We wanted the space to fight in! So Kagaku made some smoke bombs that would take a long time to clear…"

"It's eco-friendly and safe to breath if you're curious." Fuwa interjected.

"We figured since all of us spent the whole period fighting in it." Kouta commented.

"Then our brilliant witch duplicated them and we just threw them around like crazy! Musubi, Sho, and Hitoshi could throw further than the rest of us and we managed to cover our half of the map! Boom! Instant dense fog!"

"Then how were you able to figure out where we were in the fog? We were able to do that because our hacker here hacked your GPS!" Rei asked.

"In fact, what were your phones doing since the markings didn't match where you were!?" Otone added.

"All in due time my friend. But we were able to get a fix on you because Akko also made these!" Eiga said as he unfolded a piece of parchment he had in his pocket. They all looked closely and it was a detailed map of the mock city, even labeling where the two team's starting locations were. But as they stared at it more, they noticed two other details. The first was the position of the object, which wasn't at the original location but inside or on top of a building. Then there was the corner, which had the square labeled 'Class 1A' pointing at another building, specifically the one they're all in.

"How does it know where we are?" Ryo asked.

"They're magic maps and Akko made us all one." Ina said. Each one from the Hero team took out the same piece of parchment and unfolded it, showing that it was all indeed the same map. The impressed confusion only intensified as they continue to look at them, even more question coming forth.

"So when we were splinting up into teams, you could see who with who?" Kana replied.

"Oh yeah, so we broke off according to our keikaku." Mei said with a laugh.

"Where did you even get the parchment? I don't recall any of you carrying such a thing." Takeo asked.

"Akko turned some concrete we broke into this." Inori said plainly.

"Well that's part of the process. To make it magic, I need to think of something about each one of you, say Fíor-ama Suíomh while holding my wand to the paper, and poof, your name shows up for a while. I did that about 20 times to account for everyone, so that's about 200 times I had to say that spell. And that's not counting the spell I used to make the map in the first place, that one is a bit more complicated. And I still wasn't finished!"

"We had a plan to move the objective either when we were unable to hold you back or when time is almost up. So we began drawing up this circle that Kagari-san had in a little handbook that serves to not only stop Rei from getting close in her spirit form, but also serve as an escape point. I still have a hard time comprehending what Kagari-san said to us, so we'll let her explain it again." Fuwa said.

"Come on guys! It's not that complicated! This whole school's sitting on a Ley Line, a big pipe of magic energy! A witch like me could only do so much on my own, it's because of this thing that I'm able to cast anything in the first place!"

"So, it's like oil?" Yusaku asked.

"Except you can't physically see or touch it, kind of like Rei when she goes ghost. Only people with magical potential could feel and tap into it, which is why schools like Luna Nova exists. They teach people how to safely use magic while helping us sharpen our quirks if they're magical in nature, like mine."

"If you said this thing is like a pipe, could you move things between two places?" Kouta asked, remembering the objective disappearing.

"Oh yeah, witches and wizards use it to travel between places that can't be reached by car or plane. You just need to know where an access point is to open it, which is what I did to the objective. The circle I drew was like a trap door but I needed a destination in mind. And since we didn't have time to draw another circle somewhere else, I made an anchor and made it walk off on its own."

The first thing that popped up in most of their minds was a ship anchor, but quickly dismissed that since the thought of a walking lump of metal was ridiculous. Granted, they were dealing with a witch, so it's very well possible that she made something similar walk off on its own… Which answered their question about the difference between the phone location and their actual location.

"If you want to know, I had to use up some more of my body's chemicals to make this anchor for Kagari-san." Fuwa mentioned.

"No, we kind of figured out how you weren't where you were when we went looking for you when we hacked you." Kotone answered.

"All this is making my head hurt…" Ken grumbled.

"Even though I'm a smart badger, this is a very complex plan." Taki agreed.

"Fuwa figured out you had a skilled programmer on your side so we took the caution of turning off our phones and communicators. Then Eiga had an idea to fool you into thinking we're all having the worst day of our lives by making it look like we're not ready yet. Akko-chan gave the phones specific instructions–" Eri began before Akko cut her off, clearly remembering something as she held out the map.

"I had to put our phones on this map too!"

In a puff of smoke, the parchment was suddenly turned into a chunk of concrete. The other magic maps did the same, causing their owners to immediately discard it. The witch stared in slight confusion before realizing and stating the obvious.

"Oh, time's up."

"As I was saying, Akko-chan gave it specific instructions that would react to how we react, slowly moving away from each other as we had our staged drama. Eiga then gave us some serious acting lessons while we were in position." Eri continued.

"Acting lessons? Is that how you all sound so convincing?" Kouta questioned.

"Oh yes! We are graduates of Satsuei's Crash Course in Acting! Really, the man just gave us tips on how to believably portray a specific emotion. And I say it worked quite well." Musubi replied.

"Then the whole touching thing was faked too, right?" Rei asked as she looked at Mei.

"Oh no, that actually happened. While we were planning, I copped a feel and got punched for my troubles. Don't regret it though." Mei said with a devious smile. Eri just buried her face in her hands, face growing more and more red as that memory began surfacing. Many of them were just giving her incredulous stares, unable to believe the girl openly admitted that. Aizawa could be heard grumbling…

"What did I do to deserve this?"

"Eri wasn't the only one… I think she managed to touch all of us… We all retaliated, so it's good." Hitoshi added awkwardly.

"And you gave this crazy bitch a gun!?" Ken shouted.

"No, she made sure I took gun safety and trigger discipline seriously. Man if you thought she was scary when she's embarrassed and angry, you haven't seen what she's like when she's serious and angry."

"Eri punched her every time Mei fooled around. Full force." Akko said.

"About five to the face and twenty to the gut. Though I still don't get why she still looks fine." Ina added.

"Why thank you."

"I was talking about your health."

"She also got punched in the boob." Eiga replied.

"They didn't need to know that…" Eri growled.

"I was just joking around, it's a movie reference."

"You just admitted that on your own girl." Mei said with a laugh. Eri buried her face again and just took a few steps away from everyone to recuperate. Yusaku became even more confused, realizing that despite suffering injuries from her own teammates, the girl could move as if she was as fit as her bodysuit.

"Alright! Did we forget to explain anything!? Because I just want to move on and forget everything that involved Mei today!"

"Love you too."

"Kazuku-san, I'm going to have to ask you again to stop harassing your fellow students. While your classmates are permitted to retaliate, if this continues to escalate, the school will have to take drastic action and expel you from UA." Yaoyorozu warned. For the first time since they met Mei, she finally showed a face beyond smug amusement… Genuine fear… And It was completely satisfying to see her finally get knocked off her high horse.

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! There's no need to do that! I swear I'll behave! From now on, I'll seriously tone down the perversion! Just don't kick me!"

"As long as you make that effort then you won't have to worry about the consequences."

The girl gave a big sigh of relief and noticed that some of her classmates looked unconvinced, Eri included. Turning to and pointing a finger at them dramatically, the girl made a hopeful declaration.

"Just you wait unbelievers! I'll be so tame, you'll think I've just been neutered!"

"Actually, the correct term is spaying since you're female." Fuwa corrected.

"So, does that make her a bitch?" Ken asked with a smirk. Yaoyorozu and Aizawa slapped their faces, feeling that the girl would retaliate with the sharp tongue she has been showing so far. But unlike the other times she spoke, Mei was surprisingly calm and it kind of bothered her classmates.

"I'm not even mad, that's just a good burn."

"Calm Mei scares me more than normal Mei…" Eri whispered to Kouta. The boy only nodded as Yaoyorozu decided it was time to actually get back to the main topic. Reviewing the pros and cons of the battle…

"Alright, before we move onto the battle review, is there any other questions about the Hero team's plan?"

"Just one. How the Hell did you manage your plan with the amount of time you had?" Rei asked, only to receive three similarly vague answers from Hitoshi, Eiga, and Musubi.

"We tried really hard."

"Maximum effort."

"The will to succeed."

Yaoyorozu had to suppress a laugh, a refreshing feeling after the nonsense this period threw at her, since those answers reminded her of an old classmate who did a similarly impossible task in the amount of time given to him. Aizawa, seeing that he wasn't going to get any younger, began speaking to FINALLY get everyone's attention back on track.

"For this match, our two MVP's for this match goes to Masaki and Kagari."

"ME!? I didn't do anything after preparation but shoot an arrow!" Akko asked in surprise. Takeo's reaction was tamer, turning away slightly as if he was embarrassed by such praise. Given how he normally reacts to compliments, I guess this is nothing new… But the witch, she was still confused.

"Our plan wouldn't have worked at all if you didn't do everything you did. So I could see why you got high marks." Eiga replied.

"It's as Satsuei says, you were THE essential component of your team's strategy and were able to perform your duties to its fullest. However, you were too hasty in your efforts to support your classmates and ended up wasting both time and energy. For example, you made maps for your whole team… But neither Eri, Kagaku, or yourself ever stepped away from the objective, meaning three of those ten maps were pointless to make. One map between the three of you would have been enough, allowing you to have more energy to support Eri during her battle with Izumi and Osoroshi. Logistics are an important aspect to any situation, but sometimes more isn't better. Especially when you're running short on time, remember that." Aizawa explained. A video of Akko running herself ragged appeared on the monitor as her teacher explained her flaws, hammering home what she needed to improve on.

"Yes sir." She said as Aizawa continued going through each of 1A's strong and weak points.

"Masaki. You stayed aware of an increasingly unfavorable situation and began giving orders in attempt to change the odds. And you react well to adversity, figuring out the weakness in Chosetsu's quirk and cutting the communication hack when Yuzuriha exploited it were the best examples of this. Not only that, you can raise morale quite effectively. The only issue we had is that your scope as a leader is still too narrow and are prone to making a few blunders, like not recalling Shokuji and Yoroko after shutting down Fujiki's hack. But you will get better as you obtain more experience, so feel a sense of urgency Masaki and hone your leadership skills." The video changed to the samurai acting as Villain team leader, along with the audio, the whole class could see just how quick Takeo fell into a commanding role.

"Of course, Sensei."

"Satsuei. Your quirk is strong and you have a firm grasp on all the abilities you could have. However, you rely on it too much and don't have any back up plans once time runs out. Because Masaki out lasted your fifteen minutes, your defeat was inevitable. So, I recommend learning some form of martial arts on campus by joining a club or find somewhere off campus." For the film fanatic, it first showed him transcribing the Hero team plan before changing to his fight with Takeo. And it was only just him missing every punch and tackle as the samurai dodged circles around him. Eiga sighed as he looked back on that experience with great shame, but understood what he needed to work on.

"I'll keep that in mind."

"Sasaya. Your persistence and valor is commendable, especially when you were against a stronger opponent. But you failed to consider your other options, especially the most obvious one. The moment you lost your attack advantage when Fujiki dodged, that should've been the time to retreat back into the fog. By doing so, you rob your opponent's chance to retaliate and confuse them while preserving the element of surprise. During an encounter, weigh your options and pick the one that has the highest chance of survivability and victory." The video showed Ina barreling out of the fog like a bat out of Hell, stun baton completely charged. Only for the hacker to dodge the strike and started his retreat, even if he got shot in the leg. Then the girl proceeded to chase right after Yusaku, hot on his heels instead of trying to flank and surprise him.

"Yes Sensei…"

"Kagaku. Your set up around of the objective was splendid, narrowing the number of paths attackers could take by using your quirk to create chemically made barriers. But like Kagari, you made too many of them. Three of these entrances were within Eri's field of view. And given the kind of vigilance she displayed and the map Kagari provided, she would've noticed if someone were to step through these points. And the solid main road barrier shouldn't have been one whole piece, that costed you precious bodily resources that could've been used elsewhere. Optimize the placement of your defenses using your own intuition as well as suggestions from others, retaining effectiveness and efficiency." Footage of Fuwa spitting out chemicals that soon became gel walls was slightly disgusting, but also interesting. But when it showed the locations that the chem maker could've ignored, it was a bit obvious that they weren't necessary.

"Then I'll rectify that issue Sensei."

"Chosetsu. You are flexible, offering to use your quirk to aid in the setup of the fog while, and displayed good combat sensibilities. But you drop your guard too easily, especially when Masaki changed his strategy from direct to stealth. Always exercise caution and be aware of your surroundings, a Villain WILL stab you in the back if you give them a chance. Also… Stop trying to copy Midoriya, your body isn't ready to handle the kinds of stress that kid placed on himself. Find a style that works with your quirk, I recommend something defensive with many kinds of counterattacks." The cultist was shown his battle with the samurai, and he could see what a poor job he did of emulating the One True Hero. It sucked that he couldn't be like his favorite hero, but Hitoshi couldn't complain, Deku was almost impossible to copy.

"I'll see what I can do."

"Yuzuriha. You made effective use of your quirk by singing into the communicator when you knew the enemy was listening in, draining their effectiveness in battle. And when push came to shove, you were able to skillfully fight against Shokuji, Yoroko, and Masaki. However, you acted completely on your own throughout this entire exercise. While there's nothing wrong with that, there will be times where you need to work with your fellow Heroes. So learn how to approach others and let others approach you, it'll make things easier in the long run." Footage of the singer was shown, her hauntingly beautiful voice being played from the speakers. But as the class watched how she sung and fought, they could feel the loneliness that hung around Inori. The girl herself nodded and gave a very simple answer.

"Okay."

"Zassou. You were wise to keep your opponent where you could be supported by a sniper... But you made the mistake of trying to fight a badger, one of the world's most dangerous creatures, head on. Like Sasaya, it would've been better for you to pull back, set up traps, lead him around and exhaust him. And only then will you be able to lead Fukutsu back to your sniper and fight him head on, having been weakened by the chase. Utilize your environment and your superior speed against stronger but slower enemies." While he felt proud of how well he kept his classmate in Mei's supportive fire, Sho realized how poorly he did against Taki in an actual fight, the video of them only proved that. Every time he hit or attempted to bind the badger with his vines, it did absolutely nothing and he tore through them. Maybe a hit and run tactic would've been better…

"I understand."

"Kazuku, I'm not going to mince words. While your agility in direct combat and accuracy with a rifle is some of the best I have seen in a student… You have God awful synergy with your teammates. You sexually harass them and consistently push them towards the edge, something that hinders the development of proper bonds. Since Yaoyorozu already told you of the consequences of what would happen should this behavior continues, I'll say this… You best keep to your word and start improving, we've let you run rampant long enough. And it's only been a day." Only combat footage was shown for Mei for obvious reasons, but the way she fought was something else. Slipping in and out of strikes like it was nothing before striking at the hacker and dodging the next incoming strike. Had it not been for her terrible personality, she would've been fairly popular for her exceptional ability.

"Don't you worry, I got this! You'll see me a whole new side of me after today!" Despite this declaration, it inspired zero confidence in anyone and with good reason. Habits like that would take months, if not years to fix and not a couple of days. Regardless, Aizawa moved on to the next student.

"Eri. While your dedication to protecting the objective and combat ability are good, you have a few problems to work on. The first is that you were too inactive, only sitting around until the enemy came to you. You should've gone out and set up an ambush point against anyone who came close. The second is attempting to provide suppressing fire alone, something that shouldn't be done alone. You could've handed your pistol to Kagaku and she could've supported you as Kagari continued to focus on moving the objective when the time came. And third, your timing could be better. Instead of instantly moving the objective when Izumi and Osoroshi decided to rush in, you should've engaged and delayed them directly. When your enemies are on the clock, try to waste as much of their time as possible." Eri's battle footage wasn't the most exciting as it just involved her crouched down and aiming at the only entrance to the objective. While she did make minor movements, the horned girl looked more like a statue than a Hero in Training. And when she thought about it, Eri was the only one idling about while her team was fighting hard against their opponents. Disappointed by her own performance, the girl just nodded slowly and sadly, shoulder being patted by Kouta.

"Musubi. You demonstrated excellent combat sensibilities by dragging your opponent with a long weapon into a narrow space, limiting her attack options. Not only that, you managed to steal your opponent's equipment from them and further limited their options. However, you're too lax and weren't ready for Shiomi's sudden counter-attack. Always stay alert, you don't know what kind of tricks a real Villain might pull." The rope wielder sighed as he saw the video of how well he was doing… Only to lose when Orpheus appeared and slammed him into the wall. He had no words and just nodded to his teacher's advice. This is where Yaoyorozu took over for her former teacher, giving him a break from speaking.

"On that note… Shiomi-san, you lasted quite long in an unfavorable scenario due to your agile footwork and sharp eyes. However, you should have used that agility to escape to an area more suitable for your weapon. But the most critical and dangerous mistake was using your quirk without the necessary equipment. Had you lost control of Orpheus right then and there, Musubi might not be with us right now. Yes, it's frustrating to lose… But this is only just training and no amount of risks here are worth the lives of our friends." The footage of Orpheus emerging from a concentrating Kotone was more startling than when she would aim a fake gun at her head. The way the manifestation moved was completely unnerving, giving the class the feeling that something was going to go wrong.

"You're right Sensei..."

"Don't let this trouble you too much my friend, I'm still here aren't I? Just learn from your mistakes and move on." Musubi said wisely. Kotone gave a weak smile and nodded as Yaoyorozu moved onto the next student. Or rather, students.

"Yoroko-san, Shokuji-san, this applies to the both of you. The two of you had excellent team work when battling with Yuzuriha-san, forcing her into a corner several times. But that encounter was completely unnecessary since she kept herself isolated from her team during the entire battle. It would've been better to head towards the objective and support Osoroshi-san and Izumi-san against Eri-san, possibly even taking it with superior numbers if the Hero team's warp trick failed. When looking at a situation, always weigh the return and consequences of each action and optimize your movements." The cook and the clown was shown battling the singer. But while the two were synergizing their attacks well, Inori was clearly the better fighter and completely swept the floor from underneath her classmates. And when considering how the girl was just sitting there singing, the two agreed that it would've been better to have left her alone.

"We understand."

"Takara-san. While you are durable and exceptionally strong, as seen in your fight against Satsuei-san, you never once asked for help when you were 'on the ropes' as they say. Since your team's communication hasn't been compromised like the Hero team's, you could've called upon the help of any member of your support teams. Individual skill and ability are important, but a Heroes' strength also lies in their ability to work with others." Though the golden boy commented on how his punching match with the film fanatic was 'completely splendid', one could see a dull light coming from his shining eyes. It was the gaze of frustration.

"Yes Ms. Teacher, those are valuable words of wisdoms. I shall consider it."

"Fukutsu-san. You have good sensibilities as you continuously tried to move into cover when you were under sniper fire. However, that worked against you as that tactic depleted more energy than it was necessary, allowing Zassou-san to best you. While it may seem counter intuitive, you could've charged at your opponent with everything you had since you're strong and durable enough to withstand several shots and blows. Decisions made by instinct or reason are good, but it's better to strike a balance between them." The badger's battle consistently had him trying to escape into an alley before being dragged back by Sho, being shot by Mei the entire time. And while Taki overwhelmed the plants that kept ensnaring him, not once did he go after his opponent despite how obvious the outcome of that match would be.

"Because I'm a young badger, I'll lick my wounds and learn from this match."

"Izumi-san, Osoroshi-san, you both demonstrated fair understanding of your opponent's ability and did your best to evade unnecessary injury. However, like Eri-san, you two didn't do enough during this skirmish. While it was wise to take cover against an opponent with superior range, she was essentially alone and wouldn't have been able to hold you both had you just rushed her immediately. Caution should be exercised in any scenario, but it's action that resolves it." Even during moments where Eri was reloading her rifle, Kouta and Rei stayed hidden in cover. Rei frowned as Kouta counted the number of opportunities they had to charge her… Which was already up to eight.

"Got it Yaoyo-sensei…" Rei said as Kouta just nodded. Their teacher then proceeded to look at Ken, who knew what his issue was.

"Joshima-san, you–"

"Have the exact opposite problem. I figured that out the moment you looked at me." He answered.

"Exactly. While you were ready to respond to a new problem, you haven't taken the time to consider the possible dangers. Or converse with your team members on this new, unknown element before moving in to capture. As a result, you went down very early in the match. As Masaki said to your team before the match started, recognize the difference between valor and overconfidence and use your sensibilities to its fullest." The only footage that Ken had was him rushing out before being knocked out by Mei's first shot. The delinquent grunted, but it was clear that he took the critique to heart.

"Fujiki-san. You utilized your unique skill to help your team gain valuable information and remained calm despite the situation going south. However, during your battle with Kazuku-san, you were clearly unprepared by her unexpected display of competence. It's important that you ALWAYS expect your opponent to be more skilled than they let on. I cannot tell you how many Villains my friends and I got injured by because they seemed completely uncollected only to sharpen up at the worst possible moment." On screen was the Hacker and his Decode Talker staring down a smiling Mei. In a flash, the blue armored knight grabbed the girl and pinned her against the wall as Yusaku began casually approaching. But while it appeared that Mei was knocked out… She unexpectedly drove one of her metal sticks was driven into the monster's hand, forcing it to release Mei and she made her charge towards the hacker. This is where the girl with special eyes began demonstrating her insane reflexes as she literally danced circles around Yusaku and his summons. While it was hard to read the hacker's face sometimes, he looked clearly disappointed in himself.

"I really wasn't ready for her… But failure is the mother of success, I'll be ready next time."

"And that is all Yaoyorozu and I have for everyone. Take the time to consider what we said today and think over what we told your classmates as well, it could be of help. Class dismissed." Aizawa said before shuffling away.

"Please start heading back to the classroom after you change out of your costume. And please stay true to your word and behave Kazuku-san." Yaoyorozu instructed. The girl in question gave a smiling thumb's up, though like before, it really didn't inspire any confidence. For she and the rest of the class just had to trust the insane girl with special eyes, though they didn't feel like that was going to be easy. But who knows, they were wrong about Mei before.

Regardless, day one at UA proved both exhausting and fruitful to the Heroes-in-Training. Battles were won, lessons were learned, and declarations were made… All in all, your average day at UA. But next question is… What will tomorrow bring?

* * *

 **And that has been Chapter 10! Again, what did you think? Coming up with the how and why for the Hero Team's plan was a nightmare, a whole lot of things to explain.  
**

 **"All you really need to say is MAGIC and we could all believe that."**

 **Maybe, but it's still good to do a little explaining. Anyway, I'm tired and have some planning to do. Tune in next week for a relaxing evening.  
**

 **"I do love me a lazy week day."**

 **I second that thought. But in any case...**

 **Until next time. T1.**

 **...**

 **...**

 **...**

 **Incoming Random Hour!**

* * *

 **An Introduction to the World of the Magic, Hosted by Kagari "Akko" Atsuko**

"Hey everyone! It's your favorite Witch Akko!"

...

"Okay, I kind of projected there... But I'm here to talk to you about Magic. Since this is kind of a HUGE topic, I'll start at the beginning. The Normal World and Magic World are like two sides of a coin, they both exist at the same time but cannot ever see the other. But there are certain people who could cross between them, and these people are Witches, Wizards, and Hunters. What they actually do varies on who's hiring them, though it usually to deal with some kind of 'leakage' between worlds. And while families like the Cavendish and Belmont deals with the two worlds, Magic and Mundane remained separate..."

"Until Quirks came along. Yeah! Because of Quirks, the boundary kind of got hazy and a lot of magical people could pass off their weird powers as, well, weird powers. So we didn't have to be as secretive as before, Witches are openly seen flying, Wizards splitting the seas, and Hunters blowing up demons with a whip! Okay, maybe not that last one but definitely the other two! Seriously, if you walk up to a Witch/Wizard/Hunter and ask them about their magic, they'll always have a way to explain it away with quirks."

"Because of this, Magical Heroes started appearing, like Shiny Chariot. She not only made people excited in flashy shows of magic, Chariot also fought Villains with her spells. And with the rise in supernatural crimes, incidents, and Villains, the public is really happy that there are Defenders against the Dark Arts. That's why I want to thank Quirks, for giving me a chance to be both a Witch and a Hero."

"And in this age of Super Heroes where flashy and fantastic is the norm... Everything that's Magic would fit right in."

"Anyway, this has been Akko with this edition of Random Hour! I hope to see you again soon!"


	11. Chapter 11: A Casual Evening

**I only own my OCs, everything else belongs to their respective creators.** **Warning, may contain Out of Character moments.**

* * *

It was about an hour since school has ended and the Class of 1A are back at their dorms. While some were lounging about the common area, most of them were helping their resident chef prepare tonight's dinner. Ryo reasoned that it not only helps build the class relationship through a group activity, it'll also teach them how to cook whenever he wasn't available…

That, and he was still a tad sore from training and needed help to finish dinner on time.

"The thing I don't get about potatoes is that why some people like to eat them plain. I mean they're great fried, mashed, roasted, and stewed… But boiled or steamed? Bleh, no thanks." Mei said, peeling away at a potato. Peeling and cutting vegetables with her was Eri, Kou, Kotone, Takeo, and Musubi. Eiga, Kouta, Ina and Inori, who was humming London Bridge is Falling for some reason, were helping Ryo prepare and marinate the meats and fish. Kana, Hitoshi, and Sho were tasked with kneading then shaping dough, though one of them was getting a bit too artistic with the unbaked blobs of bread.

Fuwa, Rei, and Akko tried to help but ended up cutting their fingers several times, forcing them to stop before they received any more injuries to their digits. Though they were healed by the witch's magic, the girls decided to try again another time and moved on to do something else close by. Taki couldn't help due to his lack of opposable thumbs and fur, so he was resting on the couch as a classmate, Rei, gently stroked his fur. Yusaku, his hair bearing its normal colors again, was typing away on a laptop, programming some code that looked too long and complicated for anyone to try and figure out what it did. Ken was flipping through channels on the TV, zooming past several shows, movies, and news broadcasts as he grumbled about how there was nothing to watch.

Though he did stop momentarily on a news report concerning more kidnappings before resuming his rapid channel surfing.

"I disagree. Potatoes have this gentle flavor that doesn't immediately overwhelm the senses. It works well both on its own and as a support in other dishes." Musubi argued.

"It also depends on the quality. Some people are all too willing to devour the best potatoes, skin and all." Ryo added from the kitchen.

"But a potato is just an apple without a heart!" Mei replied.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sho asked, confused like everyone else.

"You know, it's not sweet. Those damn things are hard, cynical assholes, like me. I need to take a piss."

"Thanks for the update." Kouta replied sarcastically as the girl with special eyes went off to the bathroom. It was moments like these that they switch topics from whatever Mei was going on about to the girl herself, mainly about her sudden change in personality.

"You know I can't actually believe Kazuku is actually behaving, it's unnatural." Eiga commented.

"I know right. This morning she was passing around sex jokes like it was going out of fashion." Ina agreed, continuing to separate a chicken into its components.

"Clearly, we're still underestimating her. Which directly contradicts to what our Senseis has told us." Takeo said.

"I didn't. Made that mistake once during our skirmish, never again." Yusaku replied without looking up from his laptop.

"Speaking of our training, Kazuku-san learned how to use a rifle exceptionally fast. Not only did she have excellent handling but superb accuracy." Fuwa said, reflecting on that moment where Eri handed her the sniper rifle.

"You don't need to rub salt in my face lady…" Ken grumbled as he finally stopped on some movie and threw the remote on the coffee table. The bruise on his head was still visible…

"You have to admit it was pretty cool how she made that shot. You really can't see anything with that fog we made, but she was like BANG and took you out." Akko replied as she began summoning more and more tiny wisps of light.

"Damn it girl! I said enough with the salt rubbing!"

"Maybe you should help us out since you're feeling so salty." Kana said with smile, weaving dough strands into another shape.

"Unless you all want heart problems, I wouldn't do that. Yuzuriha already added a little too much." Ryo replied.

"Sorry."

"I hate all of you…" Ken growled as he focused on the film being played in front of him, something about an ancient samurai being flung far into the future.

"Don't you remember what Mei said about being a fast learner? She'll learn something quick if she has a chance to use it and mess with someone." Eri reminded.

"To confuse the Hell out of everyone, as she said." Musubi replied.

"It is like she's genetically engineered to fuck with us. And I really don't like that." Kouta commented.

"And to think I supported her mischievous ways during our first night here…" Musubi said in shame.

"I mean, do you still support her? If not, then that's a lack of commitment right there." Hitoshi replied, placing down another blob of shaped dough onto a baking tray.

"Oh no, I'm still for the girl expressing herself… It's just that I wasn't expecting her to be so intense and forward!"

"Don't worry… The feeling's mutual…" Eri replied sympathetically. There was a bout of agreement, though Kou looked like he wasn't paying attention at all to the conversation around him.

"What were we talking about? I lost myself in the arts of turning greens into delectable works of art."

Looking over at his cutting board, the golden boy was clearly exaggerating his skill and everything he chopped was grossly uneven.

"Wow, you suck." Mei commented as she looked over. Some jumped back in surprise as the girl somehow returned without anyone noticing. But was interrupted when there was a knock at the door, prompting the chef to rush towards it. Regardless, the golden boy answered Mei in his usual dramatic fashion.

"I may not be a true artist yet, but I have the confidence of one!"

"Can't wait to find you on Delusion Artists buddy!" Rei called out, continuously stroking Taki's soft fur.

"Now that my delivery finally came in, I could finally start cooking!" Ryo said as he started walking back to the kitchen. In his hands was a bottle of wine, which immediately caught the attention of his classmates.

"You ordered wine!? Are you nuts!?" Hitoshi asked.

"This is strictly for cooking. If I catch any of you drinking this, I'll make sure you're in for a long night on the toilets."

Before anyone knew it, Mei managed to snatch the bottle, pop the cork, and took a quick swig. The chef immediately took back the bottle and glared at the girl, now thinking of ways to imbue her dinner with as many laxatives as possible. Most of the others, except Yusaku and Inori, were equally stunned at the girl's bold move after Ryo made such an explicit threat, even Taki woke up to the sense that something was up.

"Oh God, it started…" Kouta groaned.

"Why did you do that!? You're underaged!" Hitoshi shouted.

"Well so was the wine."

"You walked right into that." Inori said bluntly as the cultist was stunned into silence. But as the resulting banter ensued, Ryo first stared at Mei then the wine in his hand. The chef went from angry to confused as he sniffed the contents of the bottle… And took a swig from it himself. Now that shocked even the most unflappable of his classmates, since he was essentially breaking his own rule that he just established.

"She's right, it's underaged. Damn, I got ripped off." Ryo said as he put the cork back in.

"It has a great aftertaste though." Mei replied. The chef thought on the words of the girl with special eyes and began nodding in agreement. This chained into a spirited conversation between the two on the quality of the wine they just drank, spewing out terms that must be related to wine. This was cut short when Hitoshi blurted out something to catch their attention.

"DUDE! Don't encourage her! What happened to your rule!? Aren't you going to punish her!? Integrity!"

"I don't see a problem here, she just helped me out with my prep work." Ryo replied calmly.

"Yeah man, I was helping prepare dinner like the rest of you. No need to bust your balls over this." Mei said with a smirk.

"STOP CORRUPTING PEOPLE!"

"Darling, I don't corrupt people, I communicate with them. That wine talk we just had, that was me communicating." The girl replied. And judging from the serious glint in her eye, she wasn't joking at all with her statement… Or was she? Kouta began muttering curses under his breath as Eri loudly banged her head on the table. Both felt that no matter how much they learn about the girl with special eyes, she'll keep pulling something new out of her ass. Didn't Mei said she would tone down her behavior?

No, that was for her perversion. Mei was still obnoxious with that completely unpredictable nature of hers, maybe even more so than her inner deviant. But it was still early in the year to continue judging her this way. Maybe as time went on, Mei would continue to mellow out into something tolerable or that they'll grow extremely resistant to her nonsense…

Or they'll all go insane and become her personal dancing monkeys. Whichever one comes first…

* * *

 **And that has been Chapter 11.**

 **Not the most exciting situation but I like it. Anyway, leave your comments in the usual place. And since I'm kind of tired, I'll end it right here.  
**

 **Tune in next week for a special guest at a special place.**

 **Well then...**

 **Until Next Time. T1.**


	12. Chapter 12: Rescue Working

**I only own my OCs, everything else belongs to their respective creators.** **Warning, may contain Out of Character moments.**

* * *

A few days later…

It was time for Hero Studies again and the excitement has restored the energy of the class. Not much happened between that morning and then, so a change of pace was much needed. Even Mei, the chaotic She-Devil of 1A, was pretty tame the moment she greeted them at breakfast, keeping her pain in the ass attitude on a moderately low setting. The whole experience with her acting normal still unnerved most of the class, so it made the day go by even slower than normal.

But now… It was show time.

"Good afternoon class." Yaoyorozu greeted as she entered the classroom.

"Yaoyorozu-sensei? Where's Aizawa-sensei?" Ina asked.

"Were you lying about not being our Hero Studies teacher?" Akko questioned.

"No, Aizawa-sensei is still your Hero Studies instructor. However, he had to attend a very important meeting between Heroes concerning a special incident that occurred very recently." She answered as the Hero laid down her class notes upon the teacher's podium.

"Was it The Emergence?" Hitoshi asked, raising his hand.

"The what now?" Kana asked, looking over at her cultist classmate.

"There was an incident at Tokyo Harbor where an unmarked vessel docked and no one knew what was on board, the Captain and crew couldn't be reached and there were no records of it departing from another port. Knowing this was an illegal transport, management contacted the police and several Heroes to investigate it. But the moment they opened the cargo bay, thousands upon thousands of green skinned humanoid creatures came pouring out. They then engaged the Heroes and Police waiting for them with crude axes and firearms, resulting in several casualties on both sides of the battle. It ended after an hour after the top Heroes arrived, but many lives were either lost or received career ending injuries." Yusaku explained. It was grim, only to become more so once Fuwa began speaking to add on to her classmate's explanation.

"What's more is that we know nothing about these green skinned humanoids. Despite being both strong and durable, they would die upon capture, even if they received no fatal injuries. So, this mysterious attack would be called the Emergence as an ill omen to what may follow next. Could it be an isolated incident? Maybe… But the Hero Association isn't taking any chances and have doubled their efforts in watching over this country."

"That would've been a great horror plot…" Eiga said jokingly, trying to lift everyone's spirits. It was mildly effective as some chuckled while others remained concerned over the state of their country. But thankfully, their teacher had a few words of inspiration to all of them.

"'No matter how shitty something looks, I'll keep on fighting and winning like Heroes always do. If I don't, then who will?' Do you know which Hero said this?"

"The Bane of Evil, our current number one Hero, Catachan." Sho answered.

"While he is brash, stubborn, and violent, the man has a firm sense of justice and responsibility as a Hero. While hard to approach, he undoubtedly made the people feel much safer every time he appeared during a crisis, the Kagatsuchi Fires is one such incident." Yaoyorozu answered.

"I am not familiar with such an event Ms. Teacher." Kou said.

"God damn it, read the news sometimes. The Fires were a series of massive burnings set by a serial arsonist, it killed a lot of people. The worst part was that no one knew who was doing it as any evidence went up in flames, the Heroes were in the dark." Kouta replied.

"But starting from square one, Catachan worked his way up and combed every last inch of the burning sites for evidence. Slowly but surely, he began piecing together enough information to identify the face of the person, a Sanso Shin. And like a tiger stalking his prey, he observed and waited for him to commit the crime. Eventually, he did and the guy has been imprisoned ever since." Eri continued.

"And the wave of relief that followed was immense. The point is, the Emergence is just one more incident for Heroes to solve and it'll be closed before anyone knows it. In fact, Shouto has already contacted me personally and already found evidence of where these creatures came from." Yaoyorozu said, followed by relief finally settling into her students.

"Is there something we should know about between you and the People's Champion? I mean, he must trust you a whole lot with something so important." Mei commented with a mischievous glint in her eye. While the implications blew over some of their heads, the others were much sharper and sighed, knowing that the Mei they know and hate finally reared her ugly head. Unfortunately, one of those who didn't catch the meaning of her words was their teacher.

"I'm an old classmate and a close confident, of course he would trust me Kazuku-san."

"Oh okay, got it." The girl said with a smirk, leaving Yaoyorozu slightly confused. Before their teacher fell into Mei's never-ending bullshit, someone decided to move the conversation forward and asked about today's lesson.

"So what are we going today Yaoyo-sensei?" Rei asked.

"Today's lesson will be something all Heroes will be handling sooner or later, Rescue missions. In times where civilians are caught in a disaster or crisis, it is Hero's duty to pull them out of harm's way and treat whatever injuries they have. And if some of have first aid knowledge, you'll be able to better utilize it when the time comes." She answered. Their teacher then pressed the button on her remote again, the numbered cases emerged from the wall again.

"You may choose to wear your costume for this exercise as in some scenarios, it may actually hinder you. The training site is off campus, so once you change, please head outside where our bus is waiting."

"Rescue huh? Sounds fun!" Mei commented as the class stood and began retrieving their costumes.

"Please don't use this as excuse to touch people Kazuku-san." Fuwa replied.

"Do you guys still think I haven't taken Yoyo-Sensei's threat seriously? Do you have that little faith in me?"

"Yes." Inori replied mundanely.

"Oh yeah, no offense." Eiga answered.

"Do you even need to ask?" Kouta said with a frown.

"Unfortunately so." Eri responded.

"Wow. I knew you thought of me as the bad guy… But that's just mean."

"Because I'm a nice badger, I'll say that you've been improving. Keep it up." Taki replied in an encouraging tone.

"Much better than when we first met." Ryo agreed.

"Well, at least you have them on your side." Rei said.

"Then that's all I need! Alright, who's ready to save some lives!?" The girl shouted with glee, with only three persons answering her.

"Me!" Kana, Musubi, and Kou yelled back.

"Today's going to be a long day…" Kouta grumbled.

"Well at least we get to work together this time. I really don't like fighting you." Eri replied optimistically.

"I guess there's that." He said, small smile forming on his lips.

The two followed their classmates to the locker rooms and after a moment, the class emerged clad in their Hero attire. And once boarding the bus with their teacher, it began driving off to their next destination. During this wait period, they shared a few brief stories with one another. Though right now, they were listening to their singer practicing her craft.

 _Today I'll never feel your love or warmth again…_

 _Or will I never be needed by you again…_

 _And so here I find myself, completely all alone, wondering…_

 _About the times you made me get absolutely mad…_

 _And how you completely made my heart sad and cry…_

 _But you know I always loved, how you come back to say,_

 _I'm here to make you smile..._

Inori stopped and began thinking of lyrics before pulling out her phone to type out the words. This gave the others a chance to comment on her beautiful singing, all with varied reactions.

"It's so sad!" Rei said as she began petting Taki's head, comforting her damaged feels. Because of his physiology, the badger couldn't sit down properly like back in the UA classroom where he had a custom chair built for his bottom. So he occupied three seats, with his head resting on the lap of his classmate because Rei elected to sit there when there were no more available sets.

"Though I'm a badger who generally doesn't care about things, I could feel the pain deep within my heart." Taki commented.

"Yet somehow, I'm feeling properly motivated! Like I want to overcome that sorrow!" Musubi replied.

"It's alright…" Ken grumbled. Mei looked at the delinquent, silver eye shining mischievously before going to speak.

"Sure… Says the guy who's on the verge of tears, your lacrimal glands are acting up."

"Did you just fucking scan me!?" Ken shouted as he stood up. He stumbled when the bus ran over a bump in the road but managed to stay on his feet. The girl with special eyes snickered at him before the two got into a squabble… Well to Ken it was squabble, Mei was clearly enjoying herself as she riled up her classmate. But ignoring them, the class turned back to their singer.

"If I may ask my lady, have you always been writing your own songs?" Kou asked.

"No, I've only been doing it recently. There are feelings I want to convey but there aren't that many songs out there that let me do that. So, I decided to do it myself."

"Well you're doing great Yuzuriha-san. Have you ever thought about contacting Heart Beats Studio? They're both a Hero Agency and a Record Label, so I think you might be interested." Fuwa replied.

"I'm not ready yet. Maybe once I finalize one of my songs."

"Then did you at least join the music club? Maybe you could back up that amazing voice with some instrumentals." Ryo asked.

"I already did. We're working on a secret project."

"Already!? Man, you guys don't waste any time." Hitoshi commented.

"Of course, time is everything in music."

"If only a certain someone could be so serious about something." Kouta said, eyes wandering over to the girl with special eyes. Mei shot a defiant and playful glare at the boy, causing an uncomfortable shiver to run up his spine.

"Boy, you do not want me to get serious. I could embarrass every last one of you into a hole before we even get off this bus."

"Don't tempt her, she really could…" Eri replied, still remembering how hot her face burned that one morning.

"Damn straight!"

"Everyone, we're almost there, please get ready." Yaoyorozu announced.

"Finally, any more and we might have ended up as victims to the worst torture this side of the planet had to offer." Sho commented as he put away his phone.

"I've been through worse. Have you tried subbing the top 100 worst movies of all time?" Eiga replied with a shrug.

"Yeesh, that sounds even worse than when I had to chug 20 random potions on a dare." Akko replied.

"Shouldn't you be concerned about this?" Ina asked, turning to the samurai next to her.

"Seeing that they're still mentally sane and physically fit, I'm sure it's nothing serious. But please refrain from inflicting the same fate upon our fellow classmates. And please calm yourself Kazuku, no need to destroy the progress you've made over a small insult."

"Yes sir." The three replied before the Samurai turned to Kouta. Sighing, the boy met Takeo's stoic gaze with a strength and waited for what he had to say to him.

"Also… Izumi, let sleeping dogs lie."

"Right, sorry." Kouta replied.

"He really was the right choice for Class President. Level headed, wise, treats everyone the same." Eri commented.

"You said it Eri-chan." Akko answered from behind. The bus came to a full stop and that prompted everyone to stand up, slowly filing out of the vehicle. In front of them was a large dome shaped building, kind of resembling those domes they put over tennis courts except that this was made of steel and concrete. And while the idea of playing a super powered round of tennis would be mildly amusing, that's not why the class was here.

"Welcome to the Unforeseen Simulation Joint, or USJ for short. It's here that we'll be practicing the means, methods, and procedures necessary in dealing with sudden disasters." Yaoyorozu said.

"USJ? Is this a branch to Universal Studios Japan?" Kana asked.

"Damn, I was about to ask that…" Eiga mumbled.

"Unfortunately, it isn't… This USJ is much more dangerous. Now shall we go inside?"

Following their teacher, the class didn't know what they were expecting when they entered… But it certainly wasn't what they were seeing. Right out of the gate, the class could see multiple areas with dedicated themes, like a ruined city for example. Really, it was all very impressive and even the most stoic of them were pretty stunned at this level of construction.

"I want nothing to do with that watery grave sitting over there…" Kou mumbled as he fearfully stared at the flooded zone. The Golden Boy's words were largely ignored as the rest of the class continued to gawk at the surrounding environment.

"Are… Are you sure this isn't USJ?" Kotone asked, staring at the various zones before them.

"I don't care what anyone says, this is Universal Studios Japan! I mean seriously! You could film something here and it you wouldn't be able to tell the difference!" Eiga shouted.

"This is an official Hero Training Course, they're not going to let random people come in here." Yusaku replied calmly, seeing that his classmate was too excited for his own good.

"I don't know if you know this, but they actually filmed parts of Final Vengeance here. Right where the Downnpour Zone is." A voice replied cheerfully.

"The rain drenched fight in that movie was amazing! Perfectly choreographed, no sudden cuts and shaky cam, or the actors pretending to strike each other! In an age full of CGI and frantic camera work, it stands out as being fluent and perfect!" Eiga shouted, gleefully going through each detail of that scene. But it wasn't long before he stopped, realizing that the voice that said that was unfamiliar. Looking behind them, the class sees a rather curvy woman in a black/ white body suit with pink highlights. And though she had a helmet with a pink colored visor, it was translucent enough to see her bright expression and brown hair.

She gave a wave to the students and that's when they saw her strangely colored circles on the tips of all her fingers. "Hi everyone." She greeted with a grin.

"AAAHHH! YOU'RE THE SMILING SHOOTING STAR! OUR NUMBER 3 HERO! URAVITY!" Hitoshi shrieked, shattering the ear drums of his classmates.

"Calm down you idiot! You nearly murdered my ears!" Ken shouted.

"HOW CAN I!? WE HAVE A TOP HERO RIGHT IN FRONT OF US!"

"What is she doing here? Wait…" Rei commented.

"Thank you for coming in to help me teach on such short notice Uraraka-san." Yaoyorozu said before being hugged by the Hero.

"Anything for a friend. Besides, I just got assigned to this area by the higher ups. So, this is your… Class…" Uraraka replied before her eyes fell onto two familiar faces. She then, in an instant, tackled the two to the ground and began hugging them as if they were her long-lost children… Well, at least for one of them that was true.

"Eri-chan! Kouta-chan! You were in this class!? Why didn't you tell me!?" The woman shouted before turning back to her old friend.

"I wanted it to be a surprise." She answered with a small smile forming on her face. Yaoyorozu always knew that her gravity defying friend loved surprises, especially if it involved people she absolutely adores. As the two adults conversed, Kouta and Eri just laid there as they knew trying to escape Uraraka's affectionate bear hugs was always next to impossible. Unfortunately, this allowed their classmates to gawk at them with various questions running through their minds. With the most common one being…

"So… You two know her?" Ryo asked with an awkward chuckle.

"Like you wouldn't believe..." Eri answered weakly, smiling as she tried to struggle out of the Pro Hero's crushing grip. For all that she loved about Uraraka and the kindness she showered her with in the past, Eri still didn't enjoy the vice that was her emotionally heightened hugs.

"How many Pros do you two know!? This is already four!" Hitoshi replied.

"Well if you want to know… It's a little over twenty…" Kouta answered, doing his best to ignore the growing pain from Uraraka's arms digging into his sides.

"That's… A lot more than I was expecting." Ina commented.

"Though I'm a humble badger, I sometimes wish I knew a Pro Hero personally." Taki said.

"Something like that has its ups and downs… Ocha nee-san, you're starting to crush us now…" Eri replied, feeling the Pro Hero's hug somehow getting tighter.

"Oh, sorry, got a little too excited." She said before getting up and released the two. But instead of having feet firmly upon the ground, both Kouta and Eri found themselves floating and slowly began drifting away from the pro hero. Realizing she has activated her quirk on the two, Uraraka pressed her fingers together and the duo fell back down with the soles planted firmly onto the ground. Seeing that they had wasted enough time, the Pro introduced herself and explained why she was standing before them.

"As your friend just said, I'm Uravity but you may call me Uraraka-Sensei if you like. And today, I'm here to help you all get a grip on the ins and outs of dealing with disasters. When you look at this big, wide, unpredictable world, crisis happens when we least expect it and our job is to control it and help the people caught in it. From fires and floods, to the helplessly injured and lost, we help them all to the best of our abilities. And while some of us are better in certain situations than others, you could always learn how to overcome those limits. So, by the end of today, I want you all to think about where your weaknesses are and how you could improve for next time." Uraraka said.

"Yes Sensei!"

"You really have a nice class Momo-chan. Alright! Onwards to your first trial!" The Hero shouted excitedly, pointing towards the class' first area.

Mountain Zone, Dark Caves.

"While some people explore mountains for fun, there are times where they might find themselves lost in these tunnels by accident. With no way to get out on their own, it's up to you, the Heroes, to find and escort them back to safety. Inside these caves are ten pro victims that are either panicked or unconscious. As quickly as possible, I want you all to find, treat, and bring them all back. Here is some gear that'll help you do just that." Uraraka explained before gesturing to a bunch of rescue stuff like first aid kits and flares.

"Wait, Pro Victims?" Ina asked.

"You know, like movie extras." Eiga replied.

"Uh Ura-Sensei, I don't like being the bearer of bad news… But there isn't enough for everyone." Kana said, pointing at the nine flashlights for the 20 of them. When counting the rest of the supplies, the class could see that, if they all wanted one of each, they would be missing a lot of gear. This time, it was Yaoyorozu who explained why there was a shortage on items.

"In certain situation, you might find yourself lacking in logistics. So, this exercise will not only teach you how to rescue victims lost inside a cave, but also managing your items as you all explore the tunnels."

"But because this is a group exercise, feel free to bunch together however you want. Oh, just so you know, the exercise has already started." Uraraka added. Without hesitation, Takeo began directing his classmates into an optimal configuration that would allow for maximum success.

"I want five teams of four! Anyone who already has or could produce a light source, say so now!"

"Solas gealaí!" Akko shouted as she brandished her wand. A ball of silver light occurred next to her, softly glowing like a brilliant full moon on a clear night.

"I summon Bitron!" Yusaku shouted. The white round robot from his quirk demonstration reappeared and began hovering over the hacker's head. Before long, it's blue digital eyes began glowing much more brightly, projecting a cone of light.

Fuwa spat out a small ball and shook it vigorously, producing a neon green glow that was almost as bright as the witch's magic wisp. Eri slung her assault rifle over her shoulder and pulled out her pistol, turning on the small flashlight attached beneath the barrel. Mei simply pointed towards her goggled eyes, allowing the rest to remember that she also had night vision.

"Then you shall be our pathfinders, you'll oversee guiding your group through the tunnels. Now we don't have to worry about not having enough flashlights and flares. However, Kazuku, I want your team to take a flashlight or flare in case you need your team to do something." Takeo ordered.

"Yes Sir! Jap Cap Sir!" Mei said as she went to fetch one of those items.

"Shokuji, you go with Kagaku and make sure she doesn't become malnourished during all of this."

"Sure thing."

As Takeo continued to rattle off orders and the teams came together quite quickly. With a balance in sight, tracking, knowledge, and strength, Class 1A is now ready to traverse the mock cave system. The teams are as followed…

Kagari Akko, Takara Kou, Masaki Takeo, Sasaya Ina.

Fujiki Yusaku, Yuzuriha Inori, Chosetsu Hitoshi, Osoroshi Rei.

Kagaku Fuwa, Shokuji Ryo, Satsuei Eiga, Yoroko Kana.

Eri, Shiomi Kotone, Joshima Ken, Zassou Sho.

Kazuku Mei, Izumi Kouta, Fukutsu Taki, Musubi Ken.

And with the items split proportionally to who might need them, the five groups trekked into the darkness to begin their rescue training. Uraraka whistled at how quickly 1A got organized and assembled into well balanced groups, kind of believing that they would've panicked for a few minutes before getting it together. So, she turned to her Yaoyorozu and made a comment about the homeroom class she looks after.

"They got it together a lot faster than we did. Remember how most of us instantly scrambled for the items?"

"It was a good thing Iida-san, Todoroki-san, Bakugou-san, and I got you all under control and formulated a plan… Though I don't think it was very effective since it took us quite a while to get everyone out, especially since one group had to worry about Tokoyami-san as well." Yaoyorozu replied. That was when Uraraka went into a sad contemplative state, hesitant to ask what was on her mind.

"You think…"

"What is it?"

"No, it's nothing." Uraraka replied with a melancholic smile. Knowing that look, Yaoyorozu put a comforting hand on her old classmate. Eleven years ago, she wouldn't have known how to comfort anyone other than some awkward and empty words of encouragement. But since this was a pain they all shared, Momo knew just what bothered her old friend.

"Yes, Midoriya-san would've done a much better job. But let's not dwell too much on the past, he wouldn't want to see us get caught up by his sacrifice. He would want us to train these students to be the best heroes they could be."

"I know… But I still miss him…" Momo could see that her friend's eyes began to water, no doubt from the sorrow that still haunted them and their old classmates. The teacher gave a gentle, reaffirming squeeze as a melancholic smile appeared on her face, feeling the memories of their freckled friend surfacing.

"We all do Ochako-san… We all do…"

* * *

 **And that has been Chapter 12!**

 **How did I do with Uraraka? Maybe she's a little bit unprofessional but I could imagine that's the kind of Hero she becomes, someone that's not too stuffy with people. As always, leave your thoughts down in the usual place on this matter.**

 **I can't think of anything else to talk about this week. So...**

 **Until Next Time. T1.**

 **Also sorry Eris.**

 **"That's fine, got nothing good to say anyway."**


	13. Chapter 13: History Repeats Itself

**I only own my OCs, everything else belongs to their respective creators.** **Warning, may contain Out of Character moments.**

* * *

"Good work today everyone." Uraraka said, clapping her hands together. In front of her was a grime covered 1A, reasonably so after going through both the Landslide Zone and the Conflagration Zone. But for some reason, Mei wasn't looking as exhausted as her classmates and it bothered the rest of them… Then again, her being in perfect shape wasn't news to anyone anymore.

"Never again am I going into a fire…" Sho grumbled as he began growing back parts of his burned costume.

"It wasn't that bad." Kana replied, patting his back.

"He went up like a cheap sofa in five minutes. If I didn't put him out, things would've ended a whole lot differently." Kouta said, recalling how the plant matter on his classmate burst into flames. It was a good thing that both he and Fuwa kept an eye on him, otherwise Sho would've turned to ash.

"Maybe you should keep a cactus on you." Rei suggested.

"That's… Not a bad idea actually."

"Yeah, we could've thought over a few things before actually coming here. Like me lugging around a rifle and a shotgun all day long…" Eri said, hefting her two guns back onto her shoulders. There was also the amount of ammunition she carried for her weapons, which was more than enough to last her an entire fire fight. But while the extra concussive and stun rounds were a must have, Eri felt that the 'special' rounds she brought along were completely unnecessary.

The only reason she did so was because her teacher told her to always carry some, 'in case of serious emergencies'.

"I was wondering why you came armed to the teeth. Why didn't you just… Leave it somewhere?" Akko asked.

"Gun safety, always keep an eye on your weapons and never put it in places where someone else could easily find it. I had that drilled into my head by my teacher, it's one of the very first things I had to learn before I could shoot."

"But aren't you tired? That doesn't look fun to carry around." Kotone questioned.

"Why aren't you helping her? Aren't you her bestest bud?" Mei whispered to Kouta.

"Same reason she doesn't leave her guns laying around. And Eri isn't so weak to rely on anyone for something like that."

"Well yeah. But you could've earned some serious brownie points with her!"

"Enough with the teasing, I already had my fill in the caves…"

"Kill joy…"

"I'll manage… I mean we're about to go home, right?" Eri answered before turning to their teachers.

"Of course, let's start heading back to the bus. And please thank Uraraka-san for her time." Yaoyorozu answered. But before a single word could be uttered, a loud beeping caught their attention. Looking towards the source, they all saw their hacker frantically fiddling around with his duel disk.

"Uhhh… You alright over there?" Ryo asked, sensing that their troubles was about to get worse.

"We have a problem." He replied.

"No shit Sherlock! Care to explain!?" Ken shouted, ears still covered.

"I have a habit of monitoring the digital security of every major building I go into. Banks, major Corporations, Hospitals, Schools, and everything that's remotely similar." Yusaku explained.

"Momo-chan? Should I be worried?" Uraraka asked, turning to her friend.

"It's fine. But please explain the noise Fujiki-san, is it a warning?" Yaoyorozu asked.

"This tells me when there's a breach! The alarm system has been compromised!" He shouted. This caused the two Pros to tense up and began readying themselves, which no doubt startled the class. Even Takeo started to grow worried by such an action from their teachers.

"Everyone, arm yourselves and form a circle… Stay close to each other…" Yaoyorozu ordered. Without a single question, those with weapons began arming themselves as those without entered a fighting stance. It was quiet, nothing but their collective heartbeats and stilled breathing could be heard.

"Yaoyorozu-Sensei, what's going on?" Fuwa asked.

"11 years ago, Uraraka-san, our old class, and I were attacked here by the Villain League after they shut down the USJ's security system… Now I'm afraid history is about to repeat itself…"

"Shit… I read about that, they wanted to kill our One True Hero's mentor, All Might. But who's attacking us now and why? There's nothing special here." Hitoshi commented as he wiped the sweat of his brow.

"They're Villains, they don't need a reason." Kouta answered, eyes scanning the central plaza they were standing in.

"I've never doubted this class' strength… But could we really best actual Villains?" Kou asked, unable to hide his nervousness.

"Well for one thing… We will not go quietly into the night. We will not vanish without a fight." Eiga replied with a grin.

"Seriously? We're about to be attacked and you're just quoting movies?" Ina replied as electricity crackled through her stun rod.

"Anything to help us relax and focus." Akko said, wand at the ready.

"Less talking, more watching." Eri said, aiming down the sights of her rifle. Taki's ears twitched slightly before turning his head towards the front entrance. The others, without questioning the sudden movement of their badger, turned towards it as well… But…

"Nothing's happening." Musubi commented. Only then did a great explosion resounded through the whole compound, blowing a hole through the main entrance and showered the class with the resulting debris.

"Bacainn!" Akko shouted. Aiming her wand towards the falling rubble, the chunks soon bounced off an invisible barrier and fell somewhere else around them. Once it stopped raining rubble, the witch lowered her wand, looking a bit more tired than before.

"What are those doors made of? They were heavy…" She said before drinking the honey colored vial Ryo handed her. No one bothered to answer her seeing that there was now a man in a flashy white suit standing at the top of the stairs. He also wore an equally white top hat, had a gold/ebony walking stick, and a well styled moustache and beard. All he needed was a monocle to complete his dapper look, like one of those old styled villains from the wealthy areas of Victorian London.

The man scanned the opposition in front of him with keen interest before bringing the head of his walking stick to his face, speaking into it as it amplified his voice like a speaker. And though his Japanese was quite fluent, the man couldn't shake the foreign accent that laced his voice.

"Greetings Heroes! I apologize for the intrusion but you–" He began before Eri fired a stun round. But what it hit wasn't the well-dressed man… But another man, wearing camouflaged colored clothing and had the physique of a body builder, was in front of him, completely unfazed by the stun round that hit him. What's more is that he came out of nowhere, as if he just materialized out of thin air.

"I thought that would get him…" Eri said in a frustrated whisper.

"You'll get another chance Eri-chan." Uraraka replied, not taking her eyes off their intruder.

"Fujiki-san, do you have a counter hack?" Yaoyorozu asked as she began generating several weapons.

"I already activated the program, but it'll take a while before it runs. Five minutes maximum."

"Shall I deal with them?" The muscular man asked, voice booming through the whole compound. The well-dressed man walked out from behind his muscle-bound protector, speaking into his walking stick again.

"Now, now, it's your brothers and sisters turn to play. And while it was rude of them to attack me in the middle of my introduction, I am a trespasser and it's their job to deal with people such as myself."

"As you wish sir."

"Good. Now where was I… Oh yes!" The man said before turning back to the Heroes before him.

"You are about to take part in Dastardly D's Diabolical Design Destined to Defeat Do-gooders and Defenders of Decency! As I, Dastardly D, am about to use you, my dear Heroes, as a test bed for my specially crafted Dealers of Doom!"

Laughter burst forth from Kana's throat, despite how serious the situation is. But to be honest, a few of them were trying very hard not to do the same at the both the man's Villain name and his ridiculous D riddled plan name. Uraraka and Yaoyorozu however were looking a bit more terrified, seeing that they weren't just dealing with a Villain with a silly name.

"Laugh while you still have joy in you! For the despair of defeat shall descend upon you! Let's begin this debacle!" Dastardly D shouted before snapping his finger. Leaping into the fray were 12 goggled individuals of various shapes, sizes, races, and genders. However, the moment they appeared, all their ranged fighters hit them with everything they got and the attackers all fell onto the ground with a flop. None of them were moving…

"Is that all you–!?" Ken shouted before being blasted by a beam.

"Joshima-san!" Yaoyorzu shouted.

Turning towards the source of the attack, they could see those same 12 individuals they just shot reappearing from a cloaked state. As Eri aimed her rifle, she found herself staring down one of these googled enemies, her needle like fingers extending towards her exposed eye and throat. Before they could pierce her, Takeo swatted away her arm and made a harsh blow to the woman's head… But found the samurai found that their adversary's head was like that of a sponge, absorbing his strike.

Fortunately, their opponent backed off, giving the two time to look around. All over, the two could see their classmates fighting for their lives against opponents in teams of twos or threes. Only Uraraka, Yaoyorozu, and Mei were fighting on their own, with the former two just holding up while the latter was dancing circles around her opponent. And from this brief observation, each one of Dastardly D's goons were using multiple abilities that wouldn't normally be possible. The sponge like woman lunged again and aimed to pierce the horned girl, only for the samurai to knock her off course with a strike. But again, it did no damage and the woman found herself back on her feet, readying for another strike.

"This is troubling. No one should be able to have multiple quirks." Takeo said.

"No kidding, but what should we do about this one? She's too fast for me to aim at and too squishy for you to hit."

"I caught her twice, so I'm faster than she is. When she lunges, I'll throw her to the ground instead of striking. Shoot her once that happens." Takeo said as he sheathed his wooden sword. Knowing that a frontal assault failed twice, the woman began leaping side to side randomly to confuse the duo she faced. And while Eri couldn't keep track of the blur, she knew her classmate was able to follow their enemy. Lunging at the horned girl's exposed back, the woman's extended all her pointed fingers towards Eri and waited for the moment all ten would pierce right through her…

In a silver streak, Takeo drew his real katana and sliced through every one of the woman's needle fingers. Before she could react, Takeo grabbed the woman and slammed her light body to the ground. Quickly aiming down, Eri fired a burst of stun rounds into their opponent… Only for her to continue thrashing against Takeo, who was still pinning her to the ground. The horned girl then fired several more bursts before the woman finally stopped and passed out.

As she reloaded her rifle, Dastardly D and his muscular partner began talking out loud again.

"A Default Chimera has already fallen. Is that enough proof that we should discontinue them?" The muscular man asked.

"Why must you be so unfaithful? The Defaults are just fine, it was simply a poor match up. Look around, there are some that are faring much better. And as a retailer of fine armaments, one must stock products that costs less than a pretty penny so that even the average criminal could afford only the best." Dastardly D answered.

"As you wish sir. Permission to fetch the fallen?"

"Dear Denouement, there is no need for you to demand dispensation. Just do."

With a nod, the muscular man called Denouement suddenly appeared in front of Eri and Takeo. Before the samurai could strike at the Villain, he was gone and back by Dastardly D's side with the woman in tow. While it was disconcerting, the two couldn't afford to keep paying attention to him and needed to support their classmates. Seeing that Mei was still dancing circles around hers, so much so another one of D's 'Chimeras' moved in to assist to zero effect.

Looking around, the two see several that could use the help, especially Inori, Kou, and Yusaku who were dealing with an opponent faster than the three of them. Another group that could use the help was Kouta, Ryo, and Akko, who was against the laser breathing one. With a nod, Eri and Takeo broke off and headed towards the one they know they could resolve.

The witch magically blocked another one of the Chimera's breaths before the chef ran up and punched him in the face. The guy went limp… Only to reappear again somewhere else to blast an exposed Ryo. Throwing a wave of water out, Kouta managed to weaken the beam enough to only knock the chef down instead of throwing him across the floor like it did for Ken. Speaking of which, the delinquent was back up and began aiding his classmates in this battle, though it wasn't doing much to turn the tide of the battle.

When the Chimera began readying another beam breath, Eri fired a few bursts from her gun. But what's strange was that, while they all hit, the laser breathing man didn't go down. Instead, it turned to the horned girl and unleashed its potent breath... Only for a barrier to appear in front of Eri, courtesy of their class witch.

"What could this guy do?" Eri asked, not wasting time on their opponent's abilities.

"Laser breath, leaves behind a fake body and goes into cloak, that's all we know." Kouta answered.

"That body trick is so annoying!" Akko said in frustration as she deflected another laser blast.

"And the guy could take a beating too… And he knows how to throw a punch when it comes down to it…" Ryo added as he got up from the ground. That was certainly a problem, a guy with an annoying ability and have the skills to back it up… Eri's eyes wandered to one of her ammo pouches, containing a type of bullet that would help solve one half of her current team's issue. But she had her doubts of showing her secrets now, especially when there was a villain watching them.

"Eri! Look out!"

The horned girl immediately looked up and saw the Chimera charge, going for close quarter combat seeing that its breath was ineffective. She barely side stepped out of the way and raised her rifle, hitting the man with a burst of stun rounds. Only for him to go limp again and hidden from sight. But instead of another laser like they were expecting, the Chimera appeared behind Akko, grabbed her, and threw the witch into Ryo. Now disorientated and exposed, the man now used its beam breath against the two.

"Oh no you don't!" Kouta shouted as he leapt between them, spraying water to negate the attack. However, unlike that last few times their opponent used this attack, Kouta found that this one was a lot stronger than before. It overwhelmed his defense and nailed him right in the chest, knocking him a few feet back and onto the ground.

"Kouta!" Eri, throwing any doubt aside, drew her handgun and changed out the clip inside of it with the special rounds. Aiming at the Chimera, she fired the stun bullet still resting in the chamber and it hit her target, though he went limp. She stood still and waited… And dove forward while aiming her gun towards where she was once standing, firing it.

A bang… Followed by the Chimera coming into view, confused as the shot did absolutely nothing. But seeing that Eri was on the ground, he took in some air and breathed out… Air.

"Got you." Eri said with a grin. Before the Chimera could react, she aimed her shotgun at his head and fired, staggering him with a face full of rubber pellets.

"Méadú Domhantarraingt!" Akko shouted. Their opponent found themselves crushed by an unseen force, pushing the Chimera into the ground and didn't have the strength to resist. Eri got up and emptied her entire assault rifle into him and only then did the man pass out. The moment she finished off the Chimera, she ran to her downed friend's side as Ryo gave him an herbal tablet.

"Are you okay?" Eri asked as she helped Kouta up. A part of his costume was burned, but it looks like it didn't completely breach whatever material his vest was made of.

"I'll live… It doesn't hurt so much thanks to him." He said, gesturing to their chef.

"Guys! That huge guy is here!" Akko shouted, readying her wand again. Looking over, they saw Denouement picking up the downed Chimera, hoisting the man over his shoulder. Akko tried to use the same spell on him as Eri raised her handgun, only to find that he disappeared and reappeared next to Dastardly D.

"That guy has a teleportation quirk, which would be a problem if he actually fought. But he seems content with staying by that guy's side." Ryo commented.

"And he's runs off with anyone we defeat, which is much worse." Kouta said, finally feeling well enough to fight again. Suddenly, the body of one of their teachers landed next to them, alive but unconscious and heavily injured. One who was dressed in white and black…

"Mom!" Eri screamed as she rushed to Uraraka's side. The chef quickly followed, crushing several of his health tablets and began applying it to the Pro Hero's wounds. There was a question that now surrounded Eri and Uravity concerning their relationship to one another… But this wasn't the time to ask them and expect an answer, too many things were happening at once.

Akko and Kouta heard a violent snort and turned around to see their next battle trotting towards them. The one horned girl looked up and immediately joined the two, seeing that this foe looked as difficult as their last one, maybe even more so.

The opponent before them looked as though a jockey fused together with his horse. But unlike a centaur, one could still see the head of the horse in front of the body of the person. His arms were shaped like a shield and lance as his body and mount were covered in black crystals. Eri fired her handgun in a place where the beast was exposed, hoping that the battle could end before it even began. But alas, the Chimera grew more crystals and the shot bounced off its hardened hide.

In retaliation, his lance shortened to the length of a standard sword and swung it into thin air, launching crystals off its blade and sent it right at its opponent. Akko threw up a barrier only for the stones to pierce right through, forcing the three to duck under the debris. The next time they looked up, the beast was started charging them with its lance extended and ready. Akko had no time to throw up a defense, neither could Eri and Kouta have the time to dodge, the Chimera was moving that fast.

"Decode Talker!"

A blue armored knight slammed into the side of the beast and knocked it off course, allowing the three to recover. Yusaku, Inori, and Taki joined their classmate's side, ready to help fend off the enemy in front of them. Seeing the condition of their teacher, the hacker looked back at the Chimera who was sizing them all up.

"This seems to be a stronger than the one we had to deal with if a Pro went down fighting it." Yusaku commented as Decode Talker went back to his side.

"Yuzuriha, I need something to help bind–" Ryo began before the singer began tearing the loose cloth from her costume. Without a word, the chef took it and, combining it with his bandana, made a makeshift bandage from the pieces of cloth. As he began to wrap it around the Hero's wound, she began waking up from her unconscious state.

"Shokuji-kun…?"

"Try not to move, I'm finishing up some crude first aid."

"I need to fight… He's too strong for you…"

"We got it covered. If we put our heads together, we could beat it."

"Uraraka-sensei, I have good news. The Counter Hack was a success." Yusaku said, readying a new hand of cards. It was then that an alarm began blaring throughout the entire compound, halting all battles occurring. But some of 1A, like Ina and Ken, took advantage of this and landed a free blow on the Chimeras they faced. Dastardly D was equally confused, though this was more along the lines excitement as opposed to panic, something that no normal villain would be doing.

"What a development! Who would have thought our definitely debilitating digital disease would be debugged so quickly!"

"Should I take care of them before more Heroes arrive?" Denouement asked, as he readied a combat stance.

"No, let them run about a bit longer, I'm intrigued by our hosts! They're fairing MUCH better than I have dreamed! Especially that girl, that girl, that girl, that boy, that boy, and that badger!" Dastardly D answered as he pointed at Eri, Mei, Akko, Yusaku, Takeo, and Taki. The Villain watched as the Heroes-in-Training resumed their battle with his Chimeras, slowly but surely gaining the advantage over them despite the rough start.

"As you wish sir, but we don't have much time before more Heroes arrive."

"You're saying that like it's a problem my good man. Oh look! That girl is taking aim with determination!" Dastardly D said with giddy as Eri began pointing her handgun towards the other Chimeras. Firing her weapon, the horned girl's fair accuracy was able to hit about half of her intended targets with none of her classmates caught in the crossfire. And seconds after these special rounds struck her targets, the Chimeras were unable to use their abilities and completely tipped the odds in the Heroes' favor.

"Couldn't you have used that from the start!?" Kouta shouted, dodging another strike from their crystal covered Chimera horseman.

"I'm not supposed to remember!" Eri shouted back as she fired another shotgun blast at the beast's side. It wasn't too effective, only chipping off some of the crystalline armor that coated his body.

"I think the chance of getting killed ranks higher than that order right now!"

"I used it didn't I!? So shut up and let's think of something to beat this guy!"

"As a badger fighting for his life right now, could you both please refrain from having a lover's spat right now? That would be much appreciated." Taki said calmly as he quickly trotted around to the Chimera's blindside and swung his paw out, claws extended. While it didn't completely go through the crystal layer, the badger's claw did do a significant amount of damage to the beast's armor.

"STOP THINKING WE'RE LOVERS!"

"Denial only makes our suspicion that much stronger." Inori said bluntly as she side stepped a lunging strike from the Chimera's lance. The singer soon retreated as Yusaku's creature clashed blades with the beast and begun to let her melodic voice fill the air. The Chimera began raging to the sound and knocked Decode Talker out of the way before attempting to impale Inori.

"Guys! Could we not right now! Absalóideach nialais!" Akko shouted before casting a spell. A heavy layer of frost began covering the Chimera, stopping the beast and allowed the singer to move out of the way. However, the beast soon broke free from its subzero prison and let out a frenzied roar. But that action in turn caused some of its crystalline armor to fall off, allowing Eri to take fire at the Chimera's mount again. The shot landed!

…

But nothing happened to the beast, with its crystal armor growing back as quickly as it crumbled. However, this gave Kouta and Yusaku an idea that would let them defeat the thing.

"Izumi!"

"I know!" Kouta replied as he unleashed a surge of water, completely enveloping the Chimera. The witch saw where classmates was going with this and repeated her last spell, creating a wave of cold around her opponent. Surrounded by water, the beast completely froze over and became a giant chunk of ice.

"Decode Talker! Smash it!" The hacker commanded. The blue armored knight charged forward, brandishing its great sword at the frozen foe. But when he swung, the Chimera broke free of its icy prison and blocked the strike… Only for the beast to be shot by Eri when it's armor crumbled. The mount began panicking as the rider began separating from it, his weapons shaped arms turning back into regular hands.

The horse threw its unwanted burden off its back and began galloping away from the frantic battle. Before the Chimera rider could get back up, Taki batted at his head, knocking him out, and laid on top of him, effectively capturing him. But none of them let up, seeing that the Dastardly D's Muscular companion was eyeing them intensely, as though he aimed to rescue their minion.

But in the end, he refused as the well-dressed villain began speaking again.

"It appears our time is up! Return!"

Immediately halting their assault, the remainder of Dastardly D's forces pulled out as Denouement retrieved which ever one's were unconscious. The Heroes were unable to give chase due to the number of injuries sustained in battle, including Mei whose side was bleeding. For Eri, she decided not to open fire, seeing that the man called Denouement could so easily absorb and deflect those shots.

"It has been fun Heroes, but I must disappear! There is some delectable data that's due for some dissecting! Keep that Chimera that's underneath the badger as a reminder of our first encounter. He'll serve as a fine souvenir don't you think? So, with that said, I bid thee… Adieu…" Dastardly D said with a bow. And in a blink, the Villain was gone from the top of the stairs.

Eri and a few others who were relatively uninjured began rushing up the stairs, only to see a horde of Police and Pro Heroes swarming in, including some of UA's teaching staff. Seeing them, the Police stopped their advance and aimed their weapons at the students.

"Stand down! Those are UA Students!" Aizawa shouted before the officers lowered their armaments. A collective sigh of relief left their lungs as emergency services continued to move in as the Heroes began sweeping the perimeter. But while a sense of security finally came back after such a skirmish… One cannot help but wonder…

Who was that strange man named Dastardly D?

* * *

 **And that was Chapter 13! Here it is! The moment I've been working towards! I present to you the Dreadful but ever Dashing, DASTARDLY D! And he shall serve as the main antagonist for this story. Now, I know what you're thinking...**

 **"You're not a mind reader."**

 **I know, but just humor me... There's no way such a ridiculous Villain is in any way threatening. And yeah, I agree. But isn't it pretty interesting to try anyway? To make someone so campy yet so dangerous is the ultimate challenge! And would you believe that this Villain came out of a Poem I wrote for class? I was brainstorming for an idea when I suddenly thought of Dastardly D and suddenly, I began shoving as many D words into sensible sentences as I could... And then, as I began planning this story, I expanded upon Dastardly D and made him a full fledged Villain.**

 **"I've read that poem and still can't believe you actually submitted that."**

 **Neither could I but I digress... Lately, I've been influenced by Johnny Spectre and his Tumblr buddy rex101111 and their Eri stuff. As a result, I've been planning how to incorporate their concept of Eri's family relationship with 1A while preserving the elements of my own story. And I think I have an idea, just have to make sure I don't mess it up when writing it.  
**

 **"You probably will. You haven't gotten 'gud' yet."**

 **It's an arduous path, one that takes time to travel. That's why I'm going to keep trying... Anyway, I'm going to end this soon. But first, let me breakdown the abilities of the three main Chimeras that were featured this chapter. However, I'll leave you to figure out which does what.  
**

 **Chimera 1**

 **Quirk: Puncture, Sponge Frame**

 **Chimera 2**

 **Quirk: Beam Breath, Dead Ringer, Diver's Boon**

 **Chimera 3**

 **Quirk: Black Tourmaline Coat, ARMaments, Nuckelavee, Equilibrium  
**

 **Anyway, what do you think of this chapter now that we've gotten to that point the summary promised? I'll be waiting for your questions, comments, and concerns to appear in the usual place. Join us next week where some secrets get spilled and a particular Manga Spoiler will be there.**

 **"A bit late for the spoiler warning... But whatever!"**

 **That is all I have today. So...**

 **Until Next Time. T1.**


	14. Chapter 14: Enemy and Secrets Known

**I only own my OCs, everything else belongs to their respective creators.** **Warning, may contain Out of Character moments.**

* * *

Sitting together in the 1A dorms, the class of 1A were patched up and casually dressed. Despite this, tensions were high as Aizawa had some heavy information concerning the attack they just experienced that afternoon.

"First, I would like to say that Yaoyorozu and Uraraka will be making a quick recovery thanks to the treatment provided by Shokuji and Kagaku, you two did well." Aizawa announced. The two seemed to have sunk into the sofa in relief, seeing that their efforts to heal their teachers had paid off. Still, that didn't clear up the questions on just who those people that inflicted those injuries were. But, the Pro Hero was able to see that and went on to explain.

"But let me say how lucky you all are with today's battle. That man with the silly name was no ordinary criminal… But the world's greatest Super Villain."

"He is!? I thought he was just a guy in a funny hat!" Kana asked.

"Looks can be deceiving. D is in fact the leader of the Doctored Dynasty, the largest illegal weapons manufacturer and distributor in the world. He has made thousands of deals with criminal organizations and Villain groups across the globe, very much becoming a household name on the black market. Everyone wants whatever he's selling."

"Then why's he not trying to steal the moon? Or dry up the oceans? Or start a nuclear apocalypse? Why specifically attack Heroes-in-Training?" Eiga asked.

"Spy movies?" Ina replied, staring at her classmate in disbelief.

"He looks like a Bond villain!"

"To answer your question Satsuei, he is most likely using you as a test for his line of perfect soldiers, called Chimeras." Aizawa answered.

"He did say something about us being a test for his Dealers of Doom… But Sensei, how do these Chimeras have the ability to wield multiple quirks?" Hitoshi asked. Each of them remembered the numerous abilities that their enemies possessed, where some had two while others had three or four.

"It's not impossible that D has a quirk that allows him to bestow other quirks to others. However, we're not entirely sure, since England's Quirk Registry lists him as quirkless and it stayed that way since the man was young. Whether he tampered with the system is up in the air, all we know is that he is a Villain that needs to be brought to justice."

"Aizawa-sensei, I just found some articles concerning kidnappings connected to this Villain. Do we have to worry about this?" Yusaku asked, looking up from his laptop. Eri tensed up at the thought of that, being taken away to be used for someone's nefarious needs… Again. Kouta placed a hand of reassurance on her shoulder, comforting her slightly.

"Early in his career, his abduction pattern had no pattern and he just took whoever he could get his hands on. However, 10 years ago, disappearances of student, faculty, and alumni of Hero Academies, as well as children, have dropped to zero and that statistic has persisted since. We don't know why, but it's one blessing we had to accept since we need D with as many handicaps as possible."

"And why is he in Japan? Aren't there other places in the world with crime riddled societies that he could set up shop in?" Mei asked.

"His empire already has a presence in every other part of the world except Japan. Again, we don't know why this is the last country to be target by him, but we don't plan on letting him run amuck. As for you, just focus on your studies and leave this investigation to the Pros. Meaning no vigilante work, no trying to look for a fight, stay put. Understood?"

"Yes sir."

"Good. Now is there anything else you would like to get off your chest?"

Ryo wanted to ask Eri about the whole 'Mom' thing she had with Uravity, but voted against it. Perhaps he was over thinking the relationship between the two. Maybe it was something personal and he would be prying too deep. Probably… Especially considering what his classmate says in his place…

"I got a question… For Eri. It's about her quirk." Mei said, raising her pointing towards the horned girl. Eri tensed as some of her classmates expressed confusion while others were now curious. Aizawa narrowed his eyes at his mischievous student, wondering just how she knew Eri had a quirk.

"What are you talking about, Eri-chan doesn't have a quirk. Right?" Akko replied as she turned to the girl in question. Before the horned girl could answer, Mei spoke up again.

"I didn't think she had one… Until I scanned her just now after thinking about what she just did in our little battle with the dapper douche."

"What did she do exactly? All I remember was her shooting the enemy." Kotone replied.

"And what happened to them afterwards?"

"They couldn't… Use their quirks…" Rei replied before realizing the significance of her statement.

"And our little gunslinger here didn't fire regular, old bullets at them, but darts filled with her own blood."

"How do you know that!? Did you scan those too!?" Sho asked, clearly disturbed by revelation.

"Actually, you never told us how your scans work." Inori said. There was a bout of agreement and the class stared at the girl with special eyes, including Eri who could relax slightly since the attention was off of her. With a nod, Mei began elaborating on just how her quirk worked.

"Well if you're so curious my friends, I'll tell you. My scanning eyes could tell me information, but the amount and usefulness is directly affected by how smart I am. So, if I scan this wood coffee table, my quirk will tell me that yes, this is a coffee table made of wood. But if I know something about botany, it'll tell me what kind of wood it is."

"Then the reason you could tell the darts had her own blood is… Because?" Ryo asked.

"Medical textbooks." Takeo replied simply. They first looked at their class president in surprise, but as they broke it down, they realized that was the only possibility.

"As a badger with good memory, I remember Mei mumbling some criticisms to the pro victim during the cave rescue exercise. Something about not acting like he had a concussion correctly." Taki commented.

"Yep. I was a weird little girl who decided to look at a medical textbook someone left open in a library. Got hooked instantly."

"Who in their right mind would read shit like that!?" Ken asked, clearly in disbelief.

"But that is a useful ability is it not? Our dear lady has the power to recognize what's wrong with a person's health! It's perfectly suited for rescuing people!" Kou pointed out. It was surprising to hear something so astute from the golden boy, but it was a good point never the less. On top of being an agile fighter and a perverted nuisance, Mei also had the ability to give an accurate diagnosis on anyone so long as she looked at them. It was… Weird…

"With that said… I scanned our girl Eri here and found all the signs of a person with a quirk, the factor, the lack of an extra joint in her pinky toe, all that jazz. So, care to share what abilities you have? The one that nerfed the things we fought?" Mei replied before turning to the horned girl again. Eri looked at their teacher, who couldn't find a reason to dissuade the class from displaying interest in the girl's secret quirk. And the fact that she displayed it during their skirmish with Dastardly D makes it even harder.

With a look of defeat, Aizawa nodded, seeing that there was no way for them to get out without any suspicion. But he did say this…

"This is highly confidential information. If I hear a single word about this outside of the dorm, you'll all be severely punished."

"Is… Is your quirk that dangerous?" Rei asked, looking at her classmate.

"It is. Every Villain would want to abuse it. Someone already did." Kouta answered, seeing that Eri was still was working the nerve to explain her ability.

"Why am I not surprised that you know... Wait, already did?" Ina replied.

"11 years ago… Someone tried using my quirk to destroy society as we know it. But they were stopped and I was rescued by Deku, putting an end to their schemes… However, the Hero Association sought out every trace of my blood and destroyed it… Afraid of it getting into the wrong hands…" Eri explained sadly.

"And why does it stop those things from using their quirks?" Ryo asked, still not sure where this story was going.

"Your blood works like an anti-biotic, except it targets someone's quirk." Yusaku replied flatly. Eri casted her gaze to the floor as her classmates looked at the hacker, surprised by his answer. Seeing that his friend was still uncomfortable about her abilities, Kouta did the rest of the talking.

"You're right on the nose, Eri's quirk could destroy someone else's quirk."

"That's not something that's easy to swallow… Is it permeant?" Musubi asked, an uneasiness running up his spine.

"Duration depends on how I'm feeling during an extraction session… But it could also be made permeant if I'm processed enough…"

"If YOU'RE processed!? What's that supposed to mean!?" Hitoshi shouted, unable to believe what he just heard. The others seemed to have flinched at that word as well, the thought of their classmate being 'processed' broke through any stoicism they had. Eri nor Kouta answered their classmate, but the grim expression they wore said everything they needed to know.

"Oh God… I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything…" Mei apologized. From her tone, the others could tell that the normally playful and joking girl was showing full blown regret. It was a testament to how serious the subject really is… Eri, her quirk, and the situation that lead others to abuse her abilities…

"It's fine… You guys had to learn about it sooner or later…" Eri said with a weak smile. It did nothing to change the heavy mood that hung over them and with good reason. Not only did they have a brush with a dangerous Villain, but now they had to deal with the dangers of her quirk. However, one was willing to say something to the rest of them…

"As a vocal badger, I must say this. We'll be fine, whether it's this D business or Eri's quirk. The Villain made his debut too obvious and will have Heroes breathing down his neck. And Eri, your quirk is dangerous, but you must also think of all the things you could do with it as a Hero." Taki encouraged. Some of his classmates perked up slightly, but it took more words of wisdom to continued lifting their spirits.

"Fukutsu is right, we've been letting ourselves get caught in the negativity of this situation that we've ignored the light. The Villain is strong, but he made the mistake of exposing himself to the country. It won't be long before he'll be brought to Justice by the very Heroes we aspire to be. And Eri, while your quirk has negative consequences, you mustn't forget the positive impact you could have. Just like our battle at USJ, you could tip the odds of a battle in our favor." Takeo replied.

"More like win it single handedly… I mean seriously, one shot and it'll be over." Sho argued.

"You'll be the new Bane of Evil! They'll think twice about showing their faces in public!" Hitoshi said excitedly.

"Especially if you could snipe them from anywhere. I know I'd be scared if I heard about a Hero who could kill someone's quirk and you don't know who or where they are." Rei added.

"That'd suppress any evil thoughts I would have, no more voyeurism for me." Mei said with a playful shudder, her regular personality returning.

"The Evil Suppressing Heroine… That sounds like an excellent title for our lady!" Kou commented.

"That actually sounds great! Right Eri-chan?" Akko asked. For all her life, she was told to hide her quirk so that Villains will not be able to exploit her power. Even her teacher told her to hide it as much as possible and to only use it in an absolute emergency. As a result, Eri thought of her ability as a curse and would've preferred to be quirkless…

But never had she thought about it from a different perspective. A society built around Heroes would surely fall if a Villain got a hand on her blood… But if a Hero were to use it, then it would make Villains think twice about brandishing their quirk at the innocent. Maybe she could be that Hero if she decided to use it a bit more liberally in the future…

"It does sound nice… But I need to think about it." Eri answered, still a little unsure. Before she could accept a title like that and showed off her quirk, the horned girl needed to ensure that she was strong and savvy enough to prevent herself from being kidnapped. One wrong step and she'll be back to being drained for a Villain seeking an unstoppable edge over Heroes.

"Boo! Zuzu, what do you think!? Doesn't that sound cool!?" Kana asked, looking at the boy sitting next to Eri.

"Why are you asking me? I don't care. She should be free to do whatever she wants." Kouta replied.

"Shouldn't you though? I mean, she's your girlfriend?"

The two began blushing heavily and moved away from each other slightly, but the damage has already been done. Like a rabid wolf, Mei wanted to pounce at the chance to tease the two… But…

"Don't you say it!" Eri shouted, failing to keep calm. Unfortunately, that only added fuel to whatever fire was burning in the girl with special eyes.

"Your heart rate is through the roof." Mei replied with a smirk, silver eyes shining.

"Stop scanning her!" Kouta yelled.

"So is yours."

"Oh my God! Why isn't anyone helping us!?"

"Because it's interesting." Ina replied.

"Because it's cute." Musubi answered.

"Because we're still high schoolers." Taki replied. The banter went on as several others joined in while the rest began attending their own business. Aizawa looked at the ensuing chaos and nodded slightly, clearly remembering a similar sight involving a class in his past. The way they would spring back from hearing dark news with such mirth and vigor had put another chip in his cynical heart, not many could do such a thing.

Regardless, the Pro Hero was cautious on such optimism as hope and despair are easily interchangeable emotions. Especially when it came to dealing something as uncertain as the future…

And with the World's Greatest Super Villain at work, no one could know what tomorrow could bring…

* * *

 **And that was Chapter 14! I'm tired right now so I'll make this brief...**

 **First is an update on our One horned girl...**

 **Eri, Quirk: Mundane Blood**

 **For those who are familiar with the manga at this point, this is a very important plot point. For non readers, what's mentioned here will be all you'll get. Sorry for spoiling things...**

 **But back to this stuff... Though I can't come up with something to talk about so I guess I'll just end it here...**

 **"This guy was too busy playing some Metroid."**

 **Yeah, I got lazy... Anyway, leave your comments in the usual place and I'll see you next week.**

 **So... Until Next Time. T1.**


	15. Chapter 15: A Calm Night

**I only own my OCs, everything else belongs to their respective creators.** **Warning, may contain Out of Character moments.**

* * *

Kouta began wandering down the dark steps of the dorm stairs, throat parched and in need of a drink. As he drew closer to the kitchen, he realized that the lights were already on and someone was already there. It was Eri, sitting down at one of the tables and staring contemplatively into her mug of warm tea.

"Hey." Kouta said as he approached the girl.

"Oh hey… You're thirsty too?" She replied as the girl looked up.

"Yeah. But you have something on your mind, don't you? Getting up in the middle of the night isn't like you."

"Was I that obvious?" Eri asked, looking back at her drink.

"You were."

The boy proceeded to walk into the kitchen, fill a glass with water, and came back to sit in front of his horned friend. Though they sat together, there wasn't much talking between the two as Kouta simply stared at Eri as she stared at her drink. The boy felt a small blush creep onto his face as he continued to gaze at the figure on the other side of the table. Though her hair was in a tumbled mess, Eri still looked rather pretty with the way her eyes shined, her skin glowed, and her lips…

"So, what's wrong?" Kouta asked, shutting down that train of thought. He blames his classmate for filling his head with weird thoughts and was Hell bent on perpetuating the idea that the two are dating. They're high schoolers yes… But this was after a serious discussion involving the dark implications of Eri's quirk AND a talk about the Villain that attacked them. Maybe it was just a coping mechanism, some levity to try and restore a sense of normalcy. However, that's not the point and Kouta waited for a response from Eri, who finally spoke what's on her mind.

"I'm just thinking about everything that happened over the past three days… About our class, about the things we're learning… About the Villain we just fought… And I wonder, did Deku ever go through so many events on his first few days here?"

"Hmm… I think he did, trouble always found him somehow." Kouta answered, scratching his head.

"I think it's more like he's the one looking for trouble. Our lives changed because he always looked-for problems to fix, villains to fight, and people to save… He was a real hero…" Eri said with a small laugh. However, that was soon replaced with uncertainty and Kouta knew the cause of it, seeing that he dealt with it several times.

"Eri, please stop comparing yourself to him, it's not a good scale. Remember what I told you on the night before we moved in?"

"If I ever needed help, you'll be there to do me?" Eri giggled softly, her face flushing pink at that embarrassing flub of an encouragement. Kouta banged his head on the table, causing his glass of untouched water to jump slightly but not spill over. The horned girl could tell he was internally screaming, remembering just how badly his brain pulled a plug on his words. And given how the two were teased today, Eri's reminder probably worsened how the boy felt. Speaking of which…

The girl looked around to see if there was anyone around, which was silly since it was the dead of night. Then again, Mei was absurdly dedicated when it came to fucking with people so Eri hoped she couldn't hear either of them. The girl with special eyes may be able to spy on them through the floor boards, but she doesn't have any super hearing and would have to get close…

But then again… This was Mei that she was talking about…

"Screw it… I don't care if she or anyone else is watching, Kouta needs me as I need him," Eri thought. She then placed her hand on top of his own, which startled the but not enough for him to pull away.

"Kouta, calm down. It's fine, you were trying to be a good friend."

"I know… It's just so annoying that everyone seems to be blowing up whatever's going on between us…"

"Maybe it's not them, but how we see it. I mean, if we're going to be in a relationship, would you mind?"

"No, I wouldn't mind it at all if it's you. It's just that I don't like the attention, like they're trying to make a show out of us."

"I don't like it either, but they just want to be part of something normal after the things we went through. To remind ourselves that we're still normal people underneath the bright costumes and flashy moves. Like Taki said, high schoolers."

"I guess you have a point… Did Midoriya had to deal with something like this?" Kouta asked, doing his best to suppress his flushed face. But he couldn't regain that composure since Eri's hand was still on top of his own while he himself refused to extract it.

"Definitely, he was a really nice guy." She answered. When it came to the One True Hero, the horned girl remembered that he had his own small group of admirers trying to fight for his attention 11 years back… Though not much has changed since there's now a posse of cultists trying to pray for his attention. And being the kind of person he was, the embarrassed blush at the sight could probably die his forest green hair. However, Midoriya probably wouldn't have the heart to say no to everyone and would become a harem master capable of keeping everyone happy… Truly a defender of love, peace, and all that is good in the world.

But now she was starting to sound like Hitoshi and the Cult he's part of.

"I wonder what he would be saying to us if he was still around... About what's going on…" Eri commented as she started stroking Kouta's hand with her thumb.

"Well I doubt he has any good advice when it comes to us, the guy's love blind." Kouta answered.

"Definitely. I mean everything else." Eri said with a small laugh.

"Then he'll try to think of something inspirational while spewing out some cliché advice. The first battle is there to show you how much you need to grow. Don't let others discourage you with whatever they're saying. And stop trying to imitate someone else and do something only you could do."

"Something only I could do…" Eri mumbled as she entered another contemplative state. Knowing what it was that she was thinking about, Kouta wasted no time to bring it up.

"Your quirk again?"

"What do you think I should do? I've been told to hide it for so long because there are so many problems that could come up… But this is the first time I shared it to so many people and they think I could be a great Hero with it."

"I mean it does help that you could out shoot all of us by yourself. But I think you should first give yourself sometime to think about it, weigh your options. Even though I'll end up supporting whatever choice you make, I want YOU to be absolutely sure about all this. No doubts." Kouta answered, trying to sound wise.

"No regrets, huh? I'll try but this isn't something simple."

"Life never is, but it wouldn't be worth living if everything was easy. Struggling against Villains, learning new things, thinking about ourselves, dealing with our classmates… All of it helps us become what we want to be. Does that make sense?"

"It does. But…"

"But?" Kouta asked. He was kind of worried that Eri might have issue with his encouragement. While it was no means fool proof, the boy did his hardest to cheer up his horned friend and hoped it wasn't anything more serious. Luckily for him, it wasn't.

"You never liked being the center of attention… But am I worth all the teasing we get? Do you want to stay with me even if it means dealing with our nosy friends?" She asked softly. The boy gave a sigh of relief, turning the hand covered by Eri's and gently grasped her slender fingers. The two began blushing even more and could only wish with every fiber of their being that no one was spying on them. Kouta answered immediately afterwards, without a hint of doubt or hesitation.

"Absolutely. Every syllable that comes out of their mouths is more than worth being with you."

The girl smiled warmly as the boy blushed even harder. He hadn't been expecting such an intimate moment with his friend when he sat down to talk to her. But he wasn't hating it, Kouta found pleasure in how his heart threatened to stage an escape from its bony prison with how hard it was beating. Eri felt similarly and was afraid that her heart would stop from the intensity alone. However, she never took her eyes off the boy that held her hand and continued to radiate the warmth he loved.

While their original topic was lost, they didn't care now that they had each other to lean on. Kouta and Eri moved their bodies a little closer until their foreheads gently touched the other's. And for a good while, the two stayed like that, softly smiling and gently holding hands. However, both of them wished that they had the courage to fully admit their feelings, put power into them with sincere words and gestures.

But the year was still early and the night was still calm, so maybe next time...

Maybe next time…

* * *

 **And that was Chapter 15!**

 **To be honest, I wasn't sure where I was going for this chapter. I think I wanted them to reflect over the events of the last few chapters, but I just turned it into a spiritual healing thing. What do you think about this? Weird? Not Weird? You don't care? Leave your thoughts in the usual place.**

 **"I think it's fine, being a slut for fluff stuff."**

 **Who isn't? Anyway, I'm going to be taking a brief break from writing this to work on something else. It's not one of my older projects, instead, it's a new idea. I can't believe this, I'm abandoning my other works to the Hiatus basket...**

 **"Like a real Fan Fic writer am I right!?"**

 **Not funny... So I'll be back with something that'll tie into Heroic Inheritors, a prequel of sorts that involves loads of feels. So look forward to that.**

 **"From the drafts, I must say, it's pretty sad."**

 **Yeah. Well I suppose that's all I have this week. So...**

 **Until Next Time. T1.**


	16. H01: Upon His Wings

**I own nothing.** **Warning, may contain Out of Character moments.**

* * *

Uraraka laid further back into her hospital bed, letting the stresses of the day melt away into the moderately uncomfortable mattress. To her vast surprise, the injuries that she received during the battle at USJ had already healed and there weren't any lingering pains anywhere. The gravity defying Heroine was still a little tired, but that was about it. With a smile, she turned to Yaoyorozu, who was resting in the bed next to hers, and drew her attention away from the book she was reading.

"I've got to hand it to you Momo-chan, your kids are amazing! Shokuji-kun's medicine healed me real good!"

"They're not my children Uraraka-san, but I do understand the sentiment. And though I've seen him utilize those tablets before, I'm still impressed by their effectiveness and potency. In fact, it kept most of the class from visiting the infirmary after their first combat exercise." The teacher answered.

"Was their first Hero class that hard?" Uraraka tilted her head, thinking back to the first Hero exercise they've done when they were students. While there was certainly a degree of difficulty, especially considering that one of her opponents was the old Bakugou, everyone in the class got out with minimal injuries. Well, all except for…

The heroine shook her head, an action that startled her former classmate and sparked an air of concern. "Uraraka-san? What was that about?" Yaoyorozu asked. That question unfortunately allowed the doubt to catch up to the girl, overwhelming her with a wave of uneasiness. And this always occurred when Uraraka failed in some way, lapsing into a semi-lethargic state as she gets cornered with her inner demons.

"I remembered our first Hero exercise… Do you think Deku-kun would be disappointed in us? After what happened at USJ?"

The teacher placed a hand on her cheek and lightly leaned into it, humming in somber contemplation. Uraraka over the years learned that, when the former vice class president let out that sound, the woman didn't have an answer to the question at hand. No doubt the teacher was also 'out of it' considering that she also failed to defeat one of Dastardly D's Chimeras. The Heroine sighed as she stared at the far wall, trying to piece together her confidence again.

Or she would've, had the door not flew open and caused both her and Yaoyorozu to flinch. They've watched as two men enter, one with spiky blond hair and the other with red and white hair, with the former carrying a small box. The teacher noticeably brightened to the sight of the former whilst Uraraka let out a frustrated groan.

"Todoroki-san!"

"Bakugou! Stop kicking your way into rooms!"

The dual colored Hero looked over at his friend with the same monotonous look he had since they've met him. Though if one were to examine the man more closely, you can see a slight smug glint in his mismatched eyes. "And you wonder why you were voted 'Most Unapproachable Hero' last year?"

"Don't you start with me on that Half and Half, that last quarter was complete bullshit for me." Bakugou said, harshly pointing at his compatriot. The explosive Hero then turned to Uraraka and a gave her an irritated glare. "And you, I came all this way and this is the reception I get? I even brought you some cakes."

"I appreciate the gesture, but that still doesn't make the door kicking okay. We're in a hospital, not the site of a raid op."

"Look do you want this or not? Because I could just chuck this fucking thing out the God damn window." He replied as he took a step towards the window. The gravity defying Heroine then released her killing intent, forcing her old classmate to bristle and jump back into a defensive stance. Even Todoroki and Yaoyorozu shied away from the intensity emanating from the Heroine, knowing full well what would happen if they drew her ire.

"I swear to every God in the history of Humanity that if you even put a single corner of that box outside, you can say hi to the sun for me."

The explosive Hero felt his eye twitch as he approached Uraraka, finally mustering his own killing intent as he placed the box of pastries onto her lap. Neither of them broke their murderous gaze from each other as a snarl escaped from Bakugou's throat. "Then stuff your face, bitch. Before I decide to test how far I can piss you off…"

"You won't live to see the results."

"It still astonishes me that both of you were married to each other at one point…" Yaoyorozu commented, a bit uneasy as the destructive aura around the two seemed to be spiraling out of control. That's when the string snapped, and both turned to the teacher with a combined fury that seemed to channel the murderous and vengeful spirit of Shigaraki Tomura.

"Worst. Mistake. Ever."

Todoroki walked over to Bakugou and Uraraka, placing a hand on both their shoulders and immediately taking the withering stare. "Alright you two, enough of your old domestic tensions. Cool off before this hospital turns into a battleground."

Bakugou scoffed and walked over to the far side of the wall, fully intent on making acquaintance with the wall seeing that it didn't give him flack like his old classmate. Uraraka grumbled as she opened the box and began to munch on the sweets inside, lightening up a bit. The dual colored Hero sighed and gave a small smile as he pulled a chair over and sat by Yaoyorozu's bed. "Crisis averted. I'm glad to see you are looking much better than I imagined."

"What the Hell is with that? I heard both of you got fucked up in the USJ attack." Bakugou asked from his corner. A smile began to form on Yaoyorozu's face, beaming a bit now that she's got a chance to brag about her students.

"Oh, it's nothing… Just two of my students being some of the best medics I have the honor of teaching. They've treated mine and Uraraka-san's wounds like true professionals despite the ongoing crisis. In fact, both of us will be discharged tomorrow morning and will be fit to return to our duties after another day's rest."

Both Todoroki and Bakugou, though the latter was still facing the wall, nodded to the teacher's words, taking in an air of interest. Uraraka could already tell that the two were formulating strategies to 'requisition' Fuwa and Ryo after a certain event passed in the near future. Still, a small smile was starting to spread across the dual colored Hero, his tone light as he began to speak.

"Colored me impressed, sounds like your students are already fit to be Heroes. I mean, they've already made their first rescue."

"Yeah, some Heroes we were…" Uraraka said as her and Yaoyorozu's expression soured. Todoroki blinked and looked away, realizing that his attempt at raising the mood just ended up opening wounds. Bakugou turned around and noted the lethargy of his three old classmates, sighing at the sight of the familiar sadness that plagued them all those years back.

"Good work scar face, you made them feel worse."

"You don't need to rub it in…"

"Don't be like that Bakugou-san, he only meant well. Still, it's a bit disconcerting that me and Uraraka-san needed to be saved by the students. We were supposed to be there to protect them, not the other way around." Yaoyorozu replied. The gravity defying heroine nodded to those words, pushing aside the box of pastries now the thought of failure robbed her of an appetite.

"We weren't ready for what we fought, despite everything we've been through… 3rd best Hero my butt… What would Deku-kun say about this?" She grumbled, letting herself sink further into her bedding.

"Well that nerd would first be fussing over your health. Then he would just spout some encouraging shit, saying how you're alive and well enough to try again. Remember, even when he lost, Deku would keep thinking of ways to get better and would keep coming back to try again. Yeah?" Bakugou said, his tone hard but not harsh.

"He would. Midoriya always had this energy to bounce back despite all the setbacks thrown upon him. It was something we admired, and it helped us all moved forward after he was gone." Todoroki said with a nod. The dual colored Hero looked out the window and watched the city lights shine against the night. The serenity of the landscape was one of the many gifts that Midoriya had left them, something many zealously protected in his honor. "It's how we all got to where we are."

"Yes, no matter how bleak things got or how much pressure was on us, the thought of Midoriya-san would always give us new strength. A kind that would allow us to weather any adversity." Yaoyorozu replied. Uraraka looked over at the teacher and saw a smile starting to pull at the corner of her lips. She then looked down at her hands, noting at the faint scars that lined her fair skin, and remembered why it was she fought.

"No matter how hard it got, we never gave up. Win or lose, we always push forward the same way Deku-kun did… I guess I forgot for a while, being a bit busy trying to live life for him too."

"No shit, otherwise you wouldn't be laying around and mopping about. That damn nerd practically made us into Heroes, so it's about time you both started acting like it. Your kids need you standing tall just as the public needs you to fight for truth and justice and all that nonsense. So, no more worrying over nothing and no more tears, we'll kick this Dastardly Dick Fucker's ass to the moon and back. Got it?" Bakugou replied as he pointed to Yaoyorozu then Uraraka. Both women looked at each other, a little surprised to see the explosive Hero slipping into his old personality and gave a small laugh. The two then gave the man a firm nod, their hearts fired up with the same motivation they've found all those years back.

Todoroki gave a small smile to the sight, though that only just attracted the dissatisfaction of his old classmate. Bakugou harshly pointed at him, feeling the gesture strike him the same way an arrow would, and he knows what's that like. "And you! How can you call yourself second best if you keep bringing people down? Like God damn." The explosive Hero asked.

"Right sorry, still trying to figure out the whole socializing thing."

"It's been 11 years! That's more than enough time to fucking socialize!"

"Calm down or you'll find yourself the 'Most Unapproachable Hero' again this year." Todoroki said calmly. Uraraka saw the explosive Hero's eyes narrow on her old classmate, suspicion being directed at the dual colored Hero. And changing her gaze to Todoroki, she could see something lurking behind the calm façade.

"You didn't happen to vote for me… Did you two face?"

"… Maybe." He answered, a wobbly smile slowly coming onto his face.

"MOTHERFUCKER!"

"Ah! Bakugou-san! Please put down that chair! It's not worth it!" Yaoyorozu said, though that did nothing to dissuade the Hero from his one-man quest to deliver retribution upon Todoroki. The dual colored question in Hero wasn't perturbed either, knowing full well that his old classmate wouldn't do it. As for Uraraka, she smiled as the room filled with maddening banter and memories of their youth came back.

But through the warmth of nostalgia, a sense of melancholy still dwelled within her heart as it did for 11 years. And the feeling wasn't exclusive to her alone, all of the old 1A had this sense of longing for the friend who saved them all.

"I wish you were here, Deku-kun…"

* * *

 **And that was the first chapter to a rather unique section of this story. In the chapters marked with an H, I will focus on the old 1A class and their actions during the main events of the story. From there you get to experience all the interactions as I imagine the old class having after 11 years. And one of the biggest factors that determines that is the other story I have worked on, completed, and posted...**

 **"What He Left Behind" serves as prequel to "Heroic Inheritors", showing what changes Bakugou and the others faced during the aftermath of Midoriya's ultimate fate. It's a story I've spent a lot of time on to capture the sad feelings perfectly and I think I managed to do so. I highly recommend reading that story before continuing with this one any further, as it provides plenty of interesting context for this story.  
**

 **"Wow, shill much?"**

 **Advertising is an important part for any obscure writer. But let me now address the elephant in the room... In any fandom, you'll inevitably run into the concept of shipping. And depending on the fandom, it could reach rabid levels where people starts sending death threats to those who don't share the same ships. Now the Boku no Hero Academia fans have been more or less staying at a reasonable level, keeping it to brief arguments. And though I haven't ventured too far into that territory, the snippets I've seen doesn't really explain why someone likes/dislikes a certain ship. And I certainly have my own opinions on certain ships, which led to what was mentioned in the story. So I'll propose something different...**

 **If you wish, please include in your review which ships you like/dislike and give me an explanation why you think so. And in return, I'll tell you my personal feelings on the topic. We're Human beings, so let's settle this like reasonable people and actually talk about it.  
**

 **"Reason? On the internet? That's unthinkable!"**

 **It is unless you're looking for it specifically. But in other news, from this point onward, I'll be trying to post every Sunday starting next Sunday. It'll be challenging since I haven't really done that before, but it'll help me establish a schedule.**

 **"You were more of a... 'I'll finish the story then post each chapter regularly' kind of guy. But things change I guess."**

 **Exactly. Anyhow, that's all I have for this week. So...**

 **Until Next Time. T1.**


	17. V01: The Doctored Dynasty

**Original Character Content Ahead!**

* * *

"Ah yes, I do love the smell of a freshly decorated HQ! Don't you think so too my friend?" Dastardly D asked as he turned to his muscular follower.

Denouement looked around and frowned to the sight of finely polished wood walls and furniture, soft patterned carpets, and hideously detailed paintings of a white cat with so much fur that it looks like a hairball. "It's atrocious. We should've went for a more militaristic design, function over form. Not… Gaudy paintings of our Despoiler…" He said with a sigh.

"This is merely decoration my dear Denouement! To establish our dominion and dominance over the other deviants that populate this fine country, we must put our decadence and power upon display so that they shall not dare to defy us! Despite this, if it'll dispel your displeasure, the manufacturing facilities down under were devised more towards the Utilitarian designs you, Depot, and Deathless seemed to prefer…" D explained before pausing. Denouement didn't even flinch when his cheerful leader suddenly jumped and waved his decorated walking scepter stick around the foyer they stood in. But he wouldn't even dare comment that the man looked like a complete loon, not to the man who gave him purpose.

"But all else must give an air of dignity! We're not some riffraff from the dankest, darkest depths of the Global underworld! We're the distinguished Doctored Dynasty! The most deluxe and dignified dealers of dangerous devices and deathly demons ever discovered! None could match our wares! Not even their kitchen implements shall defeat us! We shall have no equal in anything manufactured!" The Villain finished, his breathing a little intense after his burst of excitement.

"If you say so sir… But don't you think we should utilize some other decoration beyond… This?"

"Maybe it's a bit too ostentatious… Very well! Get me Defiance! I want him to purchase me some… What am I in the mood for? Handmade Royal British Tapestries with real gold embroideries! Yes! That'll be a fine addition to this home away from home!"

"I already bought them Boss, seeing that you have a habit of buying tapestries from Jolly Old England." Looking up the foyer steps towards the new voice, the Dapper Villain saw a teenage boy with cables for hair and smiled.

"Digit my boy! You know me so well!"

"Ugh… Please stop calling me that… It's lame…" The boy groaned, hitting his head against the fine ebony rails.

"You knew what you were getting into Lucas when you signed up, so no complaining." Denouement replied. That being said… The man still cringes at the ridiculous nicknames that his boss assigned to the rest of the inner circle. He really lucked out when D gave him a fairly good name, having proved to be the one-man army the Villain needed as his number two.

"Makes me regret joining this gang in the first place…"

"Come now my boy, it's a minuscule price to pay for the freedom I'm giving you now. Where else could you hack to your heart's content?" Dastardly D replied. The boy just gave a sigh that sounded half way between satisfied and disappointed, Denouement no doubt thinking that the boy loved the perks but hated his boss' conditions. It's like getting a wish from a 'Literal' Genie, you had to be specific lest you shoulder both the negative and positive aspects of your decision. Granted, Dastardly D's deals are practically like a wish from a Genie… But that's for another time.

"Speaking of hacking, I wanted to review what happened at USJ with you. It's about the counter hacker." Lucas said as he stood straight. The boy was serious, that was good, because it would no doubt cause him to improve for the trials ahead, having grown stagnant due to the lack of any opposition.

"Worry not Digit, we'll discuss it in our meeting... An hour from now. Have the others arrived while we were out on our little excursion?" D replied.

"We're all in and waiting around."

"Then they shall wait no longer! Denouement, take us all to the meeting room!"

"Of course, Sir… However, I won't blame the others if they complain about suddenly being removed from their current tasks." The muscular man said with a sigh, readying his Quirk. In a flash, the surroundings changed from fancy foyer to a conference room as Dastardly D and Lucas was in their respective seats. And one by one, the other nine seats began filled with an assortment of individuals as various refreshments began to fill the table. Denouement finished by warping next to his illustrious leader, folding his hands behind his back at ease.

"Good afternoon my fellows of the Disastrous Dozen, since you all were present and accounted for, I had taken the liberty to start the meeting now." D said as he lifted his teacup and took a long sip of its fragrant contents. Denouement scanned the other members sitting down, all having various expressions that ranged from annoyed to indifferent. Though one of them was fast asleep in her pajamas, unaware that she was plucked from the comforts of her bed.

"Devon! What did I tell about using that beast's quirk to gather us together!? I was in the middle of washing my face!" A voluptuous woman in silk shouted. Though given the thick gas mask that covered her head, her words came out as a barely comprehensible muffle. D just gave her a casual wave as he began chewing on some tea biscuits, crossing his legs as though there wasn't a wrathful lady ready to puncture him with cutlery.

"Come now my Damsel, don't insult Denouement like that, he has feelings too. And I've told you to use my nickname, just as I'm doing the same for all of you."

"It's fine sir, Countess Eidelman has the right to express her grievances." Denouement replied. Even though this was entirely D's fault that everyone wasn't in their best moods. The Countess sat down with a huff, made inaudible due to her mask, and began searching for something to snack on, settling on a vanilla cake roll as she loosened her mask. The dirt covered man gave a cough, no doubt still having the dust of a recent excavation stuck in his throat. He reached for the bottle of water but before he took a drink, he turned to his boss with an annoyed look in his eye.

"I'll say it time and again, you have the worst naming scheme I've ever encountered… And had it not been for the paycheck and creative freedom, I would've left."

"That's exactly what I said Michael. But as great as the boss is, he seems dead set on tacking us with stupid names." Lucas replied, putting his feet up and taking a slow sip of his energy drink. The spindly, pale man next to the boy gave a slow nod as he folded his hands together, his grim and flat voice speaking. In all honesty, it appears he had just crawled out of a coffin after a millennium of slumber.

"It's like everything is a game to him, a child who has yet to outgrow the need to be unprofessional. Yet despite all that, he managed to build an impressive empire that holds together thousands of Criminal Organizations across the globe. Truly a force to be reckoned with…"

"Truer words have never been spoken Doc Brandt. I reckon he could dress up like a clown and all them criminals would still follow. Truly fearsome he is." A six-armed man said, his southern accent as thick as the mustache on his face.

"Which is why we're still under his employ Daniel. There is a method to his madness and I'll be surprised if someone could overcome it." Denouement said with a slight nod.

"Ah yes, there is the passive aggressive admiration I love you all for! But that's not why I gathered you all here…" D cheered, but slowly going into a whisper. The humongous fellow at the far end of the table slammed his massive green fist on the table, splintering the fine wood and rattling all the refreshments. But instead of tipping over and making a mess, Denouement simply used his Quirk to move them all out of the way before neatly placing them back down.

"Then get on with it! I have to get back to tending me Boyz!" He roared, his massive jaw moving as though he intended to bite someone's head off. But no one at the table even flinched to the fury of the green giant, all of them still enjoying the refreshments before them. Even the girl who was sleeping didn't even stir to the artillery battery that was the man's larynx, still blissfully snoring away the ongoing meeting. Dastardly D took another sip of his tea, mostly to annoy some patience into his subordinate, before becoming willing to speak.

"Calm yourself Don, I was getting to it. As you all know, Denouement and I went out to test our latest batch of Chimeras on whoever was present at the USJ facility. And I must admit to you all that it was a failure and they were defeated by the Heroes-in-training present…"

"I can feel a 'but' coming on." A stout fellow with an impressive Beard replied, his ash covered hands picking apart some jam filled bread. Denouement nodded and spoke up before his leader could, leaving D to poke at his snacks with dispassion.

"You would be correct Stal. Despite losing a D3 Chimera, we have collected a fair bit of data. First, several of the awoken combinations were incredibly effective, so our leader will continue to improve on them. Second, the collection we tested proved to be formidable enough to be marketed. And third, we came into some opposition that we should take caution towards in the coming months. Lucas shall further explain these individuals to you all, so please give him your undivided attention."

Lucas proceeded to stand up and began fiddling around with his phone, the giant monitor in the room powering up soon after. On screen showed the faces of seven individuals and a summary of their information, though certain aspects were clearly omitted. The boy could see the rest of his compatriot's faces hardened at what wasn't present.

"Have you been neglecting your duties again boy?" Brandt asked, his hollow visage betraying the malice he showed. But Lucas wasn't deterred and shook his head, pointing to the omitted sections of one student with a laser pointer, Fujiki Yusaku.

"If that was the case, I wouldn't have gotten even a single letter with how much security was around the UA student database. But this guy is the reason why all this looks like a redacted black op file the CIA has buried away. Yusaku Fujiki, he implanted several safeguards into UA's systems beneath the notice of his teachers and they were really tough to crack even with the help of my Quirk. As a result, I could only get the bare minimum of information before having to bail out."

The sniveling guy in one of the seats seemed to curl up tighter than before, slowly starting to rock in his seat. His voice, though annoyingly high pitched, seems more like a bottomless pit with how depressed he sounded. "It's an omen of failure… Our glorious run ends here… Oh I should've been a painter like my Papa told me to be…"

"Well Double, if you think that's bad, I haven't introduced the other students yet and they seem to be far worse for us. Like this chick for example…" Lucas then pointed towards the picture of Yuzuriha Inori, the rest of the members but Dastardly D and Denouement tilt their heads in confusion. "Based on the security footage I managed to recover at the USJ, she threw one of our Chimeras into a rage with..."

The boy looked over to his boss to confirm what he had said over a call earlier that day. The dapper Villain lowered his cup for a moment and gave a small smile to the memory of seeing his beasts being affected so drastically. "Her singing voice. it's really quite lovely."

"She doesn't look so special." Eidelman commented, re-tightening her gas mask. Denouement shook his head, remembering just how lithe and nimble the girl was against the Chimeras. Though if anything, there was one individual that impressed him more on how she turned the battle against the beasts in an instant. He raised his finger towards her portrait, drawing in the attention of his fellow members.

"Yuzuriha is quite a capable combatant and has an excellent support Quirk. But I do agree that there is someone more dangerous amongst those six and it is that one, Eri Midoriya."

"No doubt. And this is after considering that there's a witch who can deal with any situation, a tough as nails badger, a calm under pressure leader, a hacker who can summon a bunch of strong minions, the singer who can make our beasts fly into a fit of rage, and a girl who can dance around two D1 Chimeras without taking a single scratch." Lucas said, moving his laser pointer over the photos of Akko, Taki, Takeo, Yusaku, Inori, and Mei.

"And what can this lass do exactly?" Daniel asked.

"She negated the Quirks of several of our Chimeras. Fired bullets at them and poof, as powerless as a newborn baby." D replied with a bit more amusement than the situation called for. Now that caused several different reactions within the Doctored Dynasty's inner circle, from fear to sheer excitement.

"I knew it! We're doomed! We might as well turn ourselves in now!" Double cried before burying himself into his arms to muffle his panicked screams. The Doctor put a hand on his chin and stared at what little facts Lucas was able to fetch on the one horned girl presented. The ability to negate Quirks is extraordinarily rare, so several questions began running through the deathly man's head…

"I'd like to conduct an analysis of the Chimeras that were struck with these Anti-Quirk bullets right away. With luck, whatever chemical has been affecting our beasts could still be salvaged from their blood streams." He said as he got up.

"Why not just interrogate the girl who used them? I'm sure she'll squeal if we treat her to some good old-fashioned torture." The Countess suggested, her mask doing nothing to hide her glee at the thought. But any other response was cut off by a loud thud and an overbearing sense of being watched. Denouement closed his eyes and could sense that the others were beginning to feel the pin pricks of spiders slowly going up their backs. Even Don, as big and threatening as he was, began to tremble as though he had seen Death himself gliding into the room.

Though with who was giving it, they all may as well take their chances with the Grim Reaper.

"Those fools…" Denouement muttered.

"Hmmm… Did I hear some dainty draft drifting past my ears? Or did some devious, diabolical delegate of mine had a disturbing desire to defy the deal we all depose under and had a duty to do? Your hearing is better than mine Matthew, what was that sound we heard just now?" Dastardly D asked, smile slowly widening as his eyes grew darker. The man with dark red lens glasses slowly closed his dot embossed book as calmly as he could and turned to face his leader with a bit of a stutter.

"I believe that was simply the wind… Sir…" The man answered slowly.

"Funny sounding wind then… Remember, if I catch whiff of anyone doing anything I do not approve of, you'll find your sense of 'self' gone like this cup." D replied. He then tossed his tea cup straight into the air and it instantaneously shattered into negligible pieces the moment he swung his walking stick at it. He then stabbed the ground next to him with the ornate stick a second later, the tiles letting out a particularly loud crunch the moment it landed.

"Any questions?"

"Umm… What's this meeting about? I just woke up…" The girl who mostly slept asked, nervously raising her hand. All eyes went back to her and D's oppressive side evaporated as he went to greet the girl with his usual flamboyance.

"Ah, Dreamer, you're finally awake! We're merely discussing promising challengers from UA and not on how one of us was plotting to defecate all over the deal we've made! Isn't that right Damsel?" D's eyes went to Countess Eidelman and her impressive body seemed more like a shriveled corpse beneath his gaze.

"As you say Sir…"

"You need to do something about that sleeping problems of yours Crawford, missing information during meetings seriously hinders your ability to lead our forces." Denouement said before noticing his leader going for the ornate tea pot. The muscular man disappeared for a second and reappeared with another tea cup in his hands, setting it down in front of Dastardly D, who nodded in thanks.

"I can't help it… It's my Quirk's side effect…" The girl said with a yawn, taking a glance at the monitor. She seemed to noticeable brighten up when she saw Taki's portrait and began cooing. "Aww, who's that cutie? I want to snuggle him."

"That is UA student Fukutsu Taki and no, you may not snuggle him. We have a set of rules we must abide by and kidnapping students for our own gains is breaking one of them." D said with a frown, knowing where the conversation was heading back to. The young girl then groaned in disappointment as Stal sighed, leaning back into his seat whilst scratching at his beard rather furiously.

"Again, with those rules… Chivalry is for Heroes you know? We're nothing like that boy who got you playing this strange game for 10 years."

"Maybe, but I am as much a gentleman as I am a Villain. I will not look down on someone so spirited and would earnestly battle him on even grounds. As even as a nomad could hope against an empire like ours but even Goliath fell before David. And if anyone has issues with that…"

Dastardly D then pulled his walking stick out of the ruined tiles and slowly pointed it at each one of his inner circle members except Denouement. His eyes were devoid of any emotion, but his lips had that mischievous smirk that was slowly widening, adding to the unsettling aura that emanated from his being. "You are free to try and wrestle leadership away from me."

They all looked down, unable to bring themselves to challenge Dastardly D as he took another casual sip of tea. Denouement doesn't blame them, all attempts to overthrow D up to this point have a complete and utter failure. Formal duels didn't work, assassinations didn't work, and coups didn't work either, he was always ready to counter them.

And even if something managed to slip past his readiness… Denouement himself would cover his leader's back and beat down his assailants. Because without D, he would be nothing.

"If there are no objections… Then let us proceed with the meeting! We have much to do in the future! Much to do!" Dastardly D shouted as his members were finally rallied back on topic, not wanting to argue with him any further. But as he gazed back at the student portraits while they were still present on the monitor, his eyes wandered to Kazuku Mei. The dapper Villain took a thoughtful sip of his tea as he began mulling over the question that manifested when he saw her at USJ.

"Why do you look so familiar?"

* * *

 **And here is another unique chapter to this story. This time, it is focused around the Villains of this story. So to recap, chapters marked with an "H" will follow the old 1A and their efforts in all of this. Chapters marked with "V" will focus on Dastardly D and his Doctored Dynasty, keeping you up to date with their plans. Anything else follows Eri and Kouta and their classmates.  
**

 **But in other news...**

 **I have nothing new to talk about this week, only that I may not be updating in a bit since I need to clean out my basement with my brother. It's a massive road block, but it has to be done due to some family issues. So I hope those of you who are waiting to read more of 'Heroic Inheritors' will still be here when the next update comes. Because having someone waiting for my stories gives me the strength to continue writing.**

 **With that said... Until Next Time. T1.**


	18. Chapter 16: A New Challenge

**I only own my OCs, everything else belongs to their respective creators.** **Warning, may contain Out of Character moments.**

* * *

Things would've been considered peaceful at UA following Dastardly D's sudden appearance in Japan and attack on the students of the school… Had it not been for the robot that was tearing its way through one of the simulated cities on its grounds. Fortunately, this was not another assault from the dapper Villain but a practice exercise in damage control for the Heroes-in-Training of Class 1A. Unfortunately, said machine was built and piloted by one of UA's alumni from the Support Department and is a decorated Engineer of the Global Support Labs Eastern Branch.

Eri put her back to some cover comprised of rubble, with her teammates soon following suit. Mei briefly checked her phone for the positioning of the other teams via Yusaku's hack whilst Akko refreshed the deflection spell she had placed on them earlier. Eri examined her phone and noted the dots of their adversary and their comrades slowly getting into position around it. She then touched her ear piece, tapping into 1A's class frequency.

"This is Eri, we're in position."

"Copy that, wait for the signal." She heard her class president, Takeo, said. The one horned girl checked the ammunition of the current magazine in her assault rifle as Akko chugged down some energy drinks that Ryo gave her before the exercise began. As for Mei, the special-eyed girl peered over the rubble, watching a three story one armed mech with mismatched parts smash simulated buildings.

"So… You know the crazy octo-hair lady in the junk bot?"

"Yeah… She's really cool half of the time, coming up with all sorts of cool gadgets. But the other half…" Eri replied, nervously scratching her cheek. A boisterous laugh tore through the air the same way a scissor goes through paper, its source coming from the woman inside the machine they're fighting.

"How'd you like my best baby!? It took me the good part of seven years to get this Experimental Mechanized Unit working perfectly! Feel her power! Feel her majesty! AHAHAHAHAHA!"

"And here I thought she was going to be quiet and bookish." Akko commented as the woman continued to laugh manically. Eri raised her eyebrow as she looked at the witch, wondering just where on Earth did she make that assumption. But before she could make a comment, all three of their ear pieces went off and they heard the dull tone of their class hacker, Yusaku. Though if one were to listen closely, there was a growl rolling within the voice of the normally stoic teen.

"The Sense Dep Worm is ready to run, just need to be absolutely sure everyone's ready. We only have one shot at this before her reactive security shuts me out… Again."

"Someone sounds pissed. You mad that your little bits and boops don't work?" Mei asked, her tone a bit too relaxed for the situation.

"Kazuku, don't mock Fujiki. Now, let's start initiate the assault." Takeo cut in. With a confirmation from all the teams, Eri readied her rifle as Akko began chanting another spell so quickly that it just sounded like gibberish. And in what seemed like the longest second, Yusaku called out to the teams and they moved out of their hiding places to attack.

First up was golden boy Kou, who jumped off from the closest building and positioned himself for a super heavy elbow drop. The plan was for him to land on top of the machine and peel off some of the plating with his obscene durability and strength. Thus, leaving the pilot inside vulnerable to outside attack.

But as usual, no plan goes completely without a hitch. In fact, the one that came up was less a speed bump and more along the line of an unbreakable Red Riot.

The machine's front and top opened and Eri could see the crazy gadgeteer Hatsume Mei look up, immediately fiddling with her controls to quickly side step. And as a result, Kou just hit pavement, even if that did absolutely no damage to him. The mech raised its only arm and aimed the cannon mounted on its arm at the golden boy. Eri immediately reacted and fired at the now exposed woman with a full burst of stun rounds.

Hatsume just smirked as the bullets collided against a completely transparent ballistic shield without leaving a single scratch. But before she could return to finishing off Kou while he was trying to scramble away from his foe, Akko popped out of cover and shouted a spell from the top of her lungs.

"TINTREACH A THARRAINGT!"

The biggest bolt of lightning Eri has ever seen shot out of Akko's wand, knocking the witch off her feet and struck Hatsume and her machine. It left no damage, but the cockpit was being filled with so much smoke that it completely swallowed the pilot inside. The ballistic shielding moved out of the way as Hatsume climbed out, coughing and fanning the smoke away from her face.

"I should build me a better surge protect–" She began but was soon pulled off the machine by an unseen force and was now hanging from rope on a nearby lamppost, hands and feet completely bound. Musubi emerged from around the corner with a heavy sigh, dusting off some debris from his costume.

"Any closer and I would be one with the concrete… Villain captured! Exercise completed!"

"Good work everyone, please return to the command center everyone. We have much to review about this battle." Yaoyorozu announced, her voice being heard all over the ruined training grounds. Though given how most of the mock city was destroyed, Eri could tell that all of them were in for a long lecture. She just sighed and slung her rifle over her shoulder as Musubi unbound the engineer who was bombarding him with many questions about her 'baby'. This was going to be a long review session…

And it was, with the Creation Heroine going over what went wrong where in her student's battle plan. Aizawa wasn't present to take reins in teaching, being busy being taking part in a meeting with the Hero Association alongside Principal Nezu about the appearance of Dastardly D and his Doctored Dynasty. But that wasn't their concern, so 1A continued to take notes as to learn from their mistakes for future conflicts. Still, as they all changed out of their costumes and started to wander back to their classroom, they couldn't help but feel a bit frustrated over the exercise.

"I know Sensei is trying to teach us something… But fuck, what the Hell could we do about the wall of steel manned by a crazy bitch?" Ken groaned, slowly rotating his shoulders. There were a few hums of agreement surrounding the delinquent, with Rei grumbling about how, even with her ghost form knee deep inside the machine, she couldn't slow it down.

"Why were there so many wires? It all looked like spaghetti…"

"Certain machines would have multiple redundant mechanisms and systems placed within its frame. The intention is to prevent a catastrophic shut down by having similar systems compensate for a damaged one. Think of it like a sports team. If one is underperforming, then his teammates can cover his weaknesses." Yusaku explained. Rei nodded whilst Kana was more hung up on the fact that the hacker was able to make what would be tech jargon easily understandable to normal people. Kouta pushed past a few people when he noticed that Eri was in deep thought and began walking besides her.

"Thinking about today's exercise?" He asked.

"We're not very good at fighting armor, are we? Our class doesn't have anyone like Katsuki nii-san or Mina nee-san."

"Yeah, even Kagaku couldn't spit up an acid strong enough to chew through that EMU's armor…"

"Akko-chan and Yusaku did do a nice bit of damage, but when you compare that to losing 72% of the city and a casualty rate of 68%… Makes me wish I got my H.O. license sooner."

"HO?" Ina asked as she slowed down to walk next her one horned classmate. Several others were slowing down as well to listen more closely, Eri pulled out her wallet and took out five license cards from within.

"When you aim to become a Hero who uses firearms, you need to pass several safety tests to earn a license before you could use them. The most basic is the Small Arms license, which allows the use of handguns of any caliber. The next is the Hunting Arms license, which allows the use of rifles and pump-action shotguns. The third is the Assault Arms license, which allows the use of SMGs and assault class weapons. The fourth is the Support Arms license, which allows the use of support class weapons like LMGs and grenade launchers with non-lethal rounds. And the last is the Heavy Ordinance license, which allows the use of HMGs, rocket launchers, and grenade launchers with lethal rounds. I don't have that last one, but I do have a Concealed Carry license that lets me carry around a pistol." She explained.

Looking at her classmates, all but the stoic and Kouta, looked very perturbed by this information and she doesn't really blame them. With each progressing license, it sounded less and less like law enforcement and more like she was about to go to war. Eri proceeded to put away her licenses as everyone turned the conversation away from the amount of firepower their classmate can legally wield and towards more mundane matters. Like the homework assigned to them, the dinner Ryo was going to make, banning Mei from laundry duty, etc.

That's what she grew to like about Class 1A, no matter how hectic things seemed to be getting, they always spring back from the unexpected. And with the world's greatest super Villain running amuck their country, Eri feels like that trait shall help them pull through the oncoming odds. They even took the facts about her abilities with stride and didn't mind that she has the potential to cause a great upheaval. But it did make the one horned girl wonder how the class would react to the ACTUAL truth about her Quirk…

Just talking about what her blood did was already taxing enough to her psyche, so no doubt that completely pulling away the façade would leave her feeling far worse. It would also have the possibility of changing how the others would see her, and Eri didn't know if their stability could handle the weight of her burdens. And that's not even going into the fact that she hid this information from them, after saying that she trusted them with her secrets.

Then there was Kouta to consider, since he was already privy to the details of her existence…

The one horned girl made serious effort to suppress a sigh and maintain an air of cheerfulness so that her classmates won't stop to ask her what's wrong. Thinking about all the consequences of not revealing her true Quirk was starting to drain what's left of her energy. So, for now, she decided to cut off this line of thought and started to focus on relaxing after a hard day's work with her friends.

To her surprise though, Eri wasn't feeling as tense as she had thought she was. She raised an eyebrow as the girl began to register a soothing sound coming from behind her. Turning her head, Eri saw that the class singer had earbuds on and was humming to the tune she was listening to. The one horned girl smiled and called out to her classmate just as 1A reached their classroom to turn in for the day.

"Inori, what's that song your humming to? It sounds really nice."

"Yeah! Nothing like I've ever heard out of you before!" Akko said.

"Oh, it's just for an upcoming performance. Nothing to worry about." The singer replied, sitting down at her desk.

"Really? We just started the year and your club already have to do that?" Kotone asked, leaning against a nearby desk.

"Well I for one can't wait for our lady to serenade us with her dulcet tones. When's the show?" Kou replied as he sat down at his desk. The golden boy's chair depressed several centimeters and seemed like it was about to break, but it managed to hold. And before Inori could give her answer, the class' teacher came in and everyone began moving towards their assigned seats. Yaoyorozu scanned her eyes from one side of the classroom to the other and nodded as they were all focused on her.

"I have good news everyone. In spite of recent events, UA will still be holding out our famous Sports Festival."

Eri could feel her spirits lift even more, recalling the incredible hype surrounding the event. All over the nation, people would tune in to watch determined students battle and perform against each other to demonstrate their abilities. And if any of those students managed to impress the Pro Heroes and Support Companies watching, they will find more opportunities to further their careers. But even without that aspect, it was just plain exhilarating to cheer someone on and witness them go the whole nine yards.

Last year for instance, in the third year's stadium, there was a boy from the General Course who barely made it past the first and second stages. He looked so exhausted and many thought he would be removed from the tournament instantly, especially considering that his opponent was a two-time winner from the Hero Course. But Eri didn't think that as the boy reminded her of her former father figure and chose to cheer for him till the end. Now imagine everyone's surprise when they saw that boy fighting toe to toe with the Hero-in-Training, eventually besting him and every other opponent afterward, who were also Heroes-in-Training.

That moment was the birth of the Hero Temperance and his future was set…

Now it was Eri's turn to stand upon that stage where the jewels were separated from the stones. Where friends become powerful foes. And where she can show the world WHO she was.

Determined as she was, that feeling was immediately cut short by a pessimistic Sho. "We have the world's greatest super Villain running around our back yards. Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Why do you have to be a party pooper?" Kana asked.

"I'm just staying rooted to reality. We managed to scrape by our last encounter thanks to Eri's intervention, what if we don't have that luxury this time?"

"Rooted… I get it, cause you're a plant guy." Mei snickered. Ignoring the girl's bad attempt at humor, the class turned to their teacher for an explanation. And with a confident smile, Yaoyorozu began to divulge the information bestowed upon her from Aizawa.

"The security level at the event will be at its all-time highest, mostly because the top 100 will be present. We'll all be prepared to take on the Doctored Dynasty if they decided to show their faces."

Now that startled the class, but not in a bad way. To have the best 100, especially the top 19 Heroes, gather together was enough to make ANY nefarious organization think twice about rearing their ugly heads. Mostly because their combined strength will crush any attempt at anarchy the same way a person crushes a mosquito, there's no contest. Not only that, being around the best of the best would boost morale for everyone present, making them sharper towards anything that's going wrong.

"As great as that sounds… All that sounds like overkill." Ina commented, sweat rolling down her neck.

"Sasaya, you do realize most of those Heroes are graduates of UA, right? And what is this school's motto?" Takeo asked, a serious smile spreading across his face. The class, without a moment of pause or hesitation, rattled off UA's most famous saying that every student has memorized by the first few days. It was a simple motto, just four mere words, but it held a lot of power for those who shout it at the top of their lungs.

"Go beyond! Plus Ultra!"

Yaoyorozu nodded and stared directly at each of her students, her eyes displaying a passionate flame as she grinned at their enthusiasm. "That is correct Masaki-san. Listen everyone, what separates us top Heroes from the rest is the effort we put into our work. The routes we take during patrols, the tactics used on missions, the training we undertake, the public relations we foster, and even the lifestyles we live, all of us go at it with an earnest intention to better ourselves. Of course, there are days where we relax and smell the roses, no one can work at that intensity indefinitely, but we're always primed to act when the need calls for us. UA taught me and my classmates many things over the years, but one of the most important lessons is to never go at anything halfhearted and always to go beyond."

"And 'force the sun to rise' sensei?" Hitoshi quoted. Yaoyorozu's smile turned wistful but the looks in her eyes didn't change one bit. Eri shared the look that her teacher had, understanding those feelings that she had. After all, the one horned girl grew up around those who were the closest to the Hero who said those words.

"Absolutely Chosetsu-san. So, on the day of the Sports Festival, when you stand upon that field, I want you all to show the country who you are and where you want to be. Don't give a centimeter to anyone, not even to each other, because your chance to stand out from the rest starts there. Understand?"

"Yes Ma'am!"

As Eri looked around, she couldn't help but feel a little overwhelmed by everyone's spirit. Even those like Inori and Yusaku were more focused and alert, no doubt thinking about how to proceed from here. But the girl couldn't be pressured out before anything started, she was aiming to be a Hero too. So with a deep breath, Eri muttered loudly towards no one in particular to throw off her hesitation.

"Bring it on."

* * *

 **And that has been Chapter 16! Welcome back, it's been a nice long while. Did you have a good Summer? Mine was a bit hit or miss.  
**

 **"Like going to Tennessee for a family reunion. Having to clean out his house of various pieces of junk. And having writer's block plus general laziness."**

 **And does the truth hurts... Still, I've come back to make a declaration. I will continue to write for the stories I have started. It may take forever to be completed, but I will try. Because that is my duty as a writer.  
**

 **"Now you're just copying stuff you wrote down in the other updates you've made."**

 **Then let me say this here. If you're up for it, my dear readers, please leave a review and find the things you like/dislike about this chapter. I'm currently still trying to improve and your feedback will tell me where my current skill is at.**

 **"Remember, only you can stop bad writers from writing bad fan fiction."**

 **Now who's spouting repeating lines? Anyway, that is all I have for this up date.**

 **So with that said...**

 **Until Next Time. T1.**


	19. Chapter 17: Preparations

**I only own my OCs, everything else belongs to their respective creators.** **Warning, may contain Out of Character moments.**

* * *

Two weeks… Two weeks is all the students have before facing the challenges the UA Sports Festival has to offer. And for those 14 days, after their regular studies, each student trained as though they were going off to fight a war. Some were by themselves while others were teamed up in groups, but all their mindsets were synchronized towards a single goal…

I must get stronger.

…

Kouta took note of his opponents from the corners of his vision, Pixiebob sitting atop an earth golem and Mandalay in pouncing position. Then there was the opponent in front of him and the biggest pain of all, Tiger and his super flexible body.

"Here we go Young Man!" Tiger shouted, dashing forward. Kouta pushed himself away from where he was standing with a burst of water, dodging the muscular man at the last possible moment. He turned around to see a wall of earth gaining on him and immediately used a burst to get away. The boy could hear the controller laughing manically as more bits and tendrils of earth began to rise from the ground.

"Come on Kouta! Be more forward! Ladies love it when a man's confident!" Pixiebob shouted. Kouta saw each of the pieces of earth closed in, with the stray pieces making a beeline for him whilst the tendrils were slowly creeping forward. Tiger smoothly leapt over the masses of earth as Mandalay perched atop one of the rocky appendages, taking a moment to glare at her teammate.

"Please don't give my nephew weird dating tips Ryuko!"

"But he's at that magical age where the door to love opens up! And I don't want him to end up like poor old me!"

"Thanks for your concern! But I have that under control!" Kouta shouted, launching a blast of water towards Pixiebob. Tiger leapt at it and punched it, easily turning the attack into a spray of droplets. The boy quickly launched another before starting to flee into a more advantageous spot. Though that strategy came to a literal skidding halt when he heard his aunt's voice ring in his head, a result of her telepath Quirk.

"So… You managed to confess to Eri?"

Blood rushed to Kouta's face, all the focus he has accumulated in the past ten minutes completely evaporated. He couldn't stop the numerous scenarios of how that encounter would play out, with half involving some kind of spectacular failure. And the other half involving Mei ruining the moment with her crass comments.

This was the last thing he thought of before things went black…

Kouta's eyes slowly opened up, brain throbbing as he tried to sit up. A hand prevented him from getting too far however. And looking over, he saw that it was Mandalay.

"Careful, you took a rather harsh blow from Tiger."

"I know I shouldn't be saying this, since I asked you guys to go all out… But doesn't he know how to hold back?" He asked before laying back down. His aunt just shook her head and went back to peeling some fruit. There was a good moment of silence between the two. And as it progressed, Kouta remembered what caused him to get knocked out in the first place.

His cheeks grew red and turned away from Mandalay, grumbling "Did you have to say that to me?"

She just let out a soft chuckle and continued with her fruit work. For Kouta, he could tell that this was only just the beginning to his training from Hell. His thoughts wandered to his friend, who was no doubt undergoing her own harsh training. A yawn escaped his throat, fatigue of the day finally catching up to him.

"Hope you're doing better than me Eri…"

…

"Time!" Eri shouted, holstering her pistol. Her teacher, Bulletstorm, first wrote down the time before spreading various sheets upon a table. Upon each was the time and score for the last 25 runs in the past three days.

"16.7 seconds, 485 points. Not bad, but nowhere close to your best." He said. The girl sighed and sat down in a folding chair, taking a good long sip of water from her bottle. It's been a few hours since she started, but she's already feeling exhausted from the constant attempts to improve. Maybe it's worth resting for all of tomorrow. And apparently, her teacher thinks so too.

"I know the UA Sports Festival is a big deal, but you won't be able to perform well if you wipe yourself out before then. One day of no training won't do you any harm."

"That's what I was thinking. But it's kind of hard to slow down when I'm going to be part of something this big. When I watched the Sports Festival as a kid, it was so exciting, and I would cheer on my adopted family until my throat was sore. And now that it's my turn, I need to do my best so that I don't dishonor their efforts. Especially Deku nii-san." Eri replied.

She can remember those battles between the people she called family like it was yesterday. From the way Bakugou blasted open a path through many strong opponents… To the way Todoroki conjured glaciers and firestorms around him… To the way her surrogate mother Uraraka soared above the battlefield… All of them were constantly pushing their limits to become the best of their year. And while it was scary to see them fight each other with such ferocity…

Eri knew that was how they show their respect for one another.

"Well just don't go and disfigure yourself in those fights. I'm certain that your folks won't be too please with that. I mean, the rules have changed quite a bit since their time, right?" Bulletstorm asked. The one horned girl nodded and pulled out a small packet that contained the current participant rules for the UA Sport Festival. And upon laying it down, she summarized its contents.

"All students are allowed to bring their own equipment so long as they've been vetted by a teacher. Melee weapons have to be wood or plastic and under a certain weight. Ranged weapons could only be of a certain length and under a specific caliber. We could also carry up to six other items, which includes extra ammunition magazines. These new rules were created so that everyone can demonstrate skills outside of their Quirks. Or serves to bolster those with Quirks that require something specific to use."

As with Satou's and Kouda's case, the two would've done better during their Sports Festivals had they been allowed sugar packs and an animal or two. And Eri has heard them lament on multiple occasions over how lucky future students were for these changes in rules. It was pretty messy sight… But that's mostly because they were drunk. 1A reunion party.

Still, this ups the challenge of the event. Now, everyone is fighting at their best, as opposed to some fight at their average or worse. It was worrying, but Eri felt excited never the less. She wanted to know how her classmates will improve. And what kind of Quirks the other classes have.

In fact…

"I wonder how Kouta and the others are doing?" She wondered, preparing her pistol for one more run.

…

"FFFFFFFFUUUUUUUU–!"

"Rei! I'm cutting the spell!"

"Don't! I got this– GGAAHH!"

"Scoir Glanadh!"

The light from the magic circle died down as Rei's spectral form fell onto her hands and knees, having no energy to even float. Akko quickly ran to her side and began casting a recovery spell. A soft glow enveloped the ghostly girl and soon enough, Rei was off the ground again. Literally.

"Thanks… Damn, that's still intense…" Rei panted.

"I keep telling you this is a bad idea! There has to be some better way to train you without all the torture!" Akko answered.

"I can't think of anything else though… Before school started, I could barely last two minutes against an exorcism. But now, we just bumped that up to three. So I could safely say that this is working."

"But I–! What about–! Ugh… Then let me refresh the failsafe barrier I have on you…" Akko sighed in defeat before preparing her spell.

"Um, excuse me?" A voice asked. Both the witch and ghost turned to the source. There was a plain looking kid with a bowl cut wearing the UA Gym Uniform, sweat rolling down his face. The girls looked at each other in confusion before turning back to the unfamiliar boy. "Do… You need something?" Akko asked.

"Are you trying to exorcise that ghost? Because you're doing it wrong. You have to–" The boy asked calmly as he began raising his hand. Sensing a rise in power, the witch threw herself in front of Rei and aimed her wand at the boy. Fortunately, this action caused him to stop and jump back a few steps with his arms up.

"Hold it right there buster! Rei's a friend! So I can't have you exorcise her!"

"Eh? But then what's the circle for?" The boy asked, still holding his arms up.

"She's helping me train." Rei replied, floating around to face the boy.

"Why does a ghost need training?" He asked. His expression didn't change much but the two girls could tell that he was getting more confused. So, Akko decided to give him a straight answer to dispel that. Though she did keep her want aimed.

"You know, for the Sports Festival."

"I… I didn't think ghosts could attend school. They're usually haunting it."

Oh, that's why he was so confused. Rei floated around to her body and got ready to enter it again. "I'm not a ghost, I'm a person." She said before repossessing her body.

And as Rei stood up again, realization dawned on the plain boy. His cheeks became flushed and he began bowing deeply. No doubt flustered over this blunder. "I'm very sorry. I didn't think someone had a Quirk like this."

"Well since you didn't know, I forgive you. But don't go making the same mistake again. Don't want other people being exorcised by accident. Got it? Uh…" The ghost girl doesn't know who this person is.

"Kageyama Shigeo. You can call me Mob though." He answered as he stood upright again.

"Osoroshi Rei."

"How'd you get from that to Mob?" Akko asked before being nudged by her classmate. The witch then corrected herself.

"Kagari Atsuko. But Akko's fine too."

"Glad to meet you. Are you from the other Hero Classes? I'm from 1B." Mob asked after he made a small bow.

"Yeah, we're in 1A. And even though our classes are rivals… I still wish you guys luck!" Akko cheered with a determined smile, holding out her hand.

"S-sure! I don't like fighting people, but let's try our hardest!" He said bashfully, shaking the witch's hand. But while the boy began to timidly navigate through a conversation with her, Rei tilted her head as she studied Mob. There was something about him that's strange… Something that felt…

"Psychic?"

…

Inori opened the door to the UA Music Room and laid her bag down in one corner. She then began to move around some sound equipment and instruments. It was a bit heavy, but the singer had time and patience. And once those were in place, Inori began plugging in the associating wires. That's when the door opened, an upbeat yet relaxed voice filling the air.

"Pardon the intrusion. Ah, Inori, already at it I see."

Turning to face the voice, she saw a girl with short burgundy hair, green eyes, and a pink hoodie tied around her waist. Then there was the guitar case that was slung across her back. This was Hibiki Misora, a fellow musician and Hero in training. Inori gave a nod to her and began to work on connecting the microphones.

"Of course, our debut's going to be very different from our classmates. Misora, plug that in." Inori then tossed an extension plug towards her. Misora, without missing a beat, caught it as she moved towards the nearest outlet. And once electricity was flowing through, Inori gave the mics a tap and the speakers let out a 'pom' noise.

"It's ready. Where are the twins?" She asked, turning off the microphones. Misora shrugged as she pulled out her electric guitar from its case.

"I think their crazy homeroom teacher's trying to make them focus more on their training. Apparently, he thinks the Music Club's special project is only distracting them from their true destiny. Whatever that is." The girl then sat down and began strumming a few chords, periodically fine tuning the strings.

Inori hummed to that, those words had some merit. The UA Sports Festival's about putting your best combat skills on display. This will then pique interest in you from the Top Heroes. And finally, you will have the chance to learn under them in the coming years.

But as great as that is… The Singer still prefers to polish up on her hobby. Fighting is but one part of a Hero's duty, the other is to inspire the public. And music has more than enough power to do just that. In fact, that's why the Heroine Pulse Jack is part of the Top 19. The music she composes and publishes brings a unique kind of hopeful energy to the public. And all proceeds from those sales goes to various charities and public organizations.

"Hey Inori, I wanted to ask everyone this for a while now... But why did you decide to be a Hero?" Misora asked, still strumming away. The singer sat down and closed her eyes, images of flames appearing in her head. The screaming… The blood… The manic laughter of Villains… The feeling of uselessness during that moment… The sight of a lone figure standing against it all.

It was no 'Shigaraki Incident', but it felt close in her opinion.

"It's simply so that people won't feel helpless during disasters." Inori answered, putting away those memories. Those scenes no longer hold any sway… But they still come up when certain are asked. The singer wonders if Eri feels the same way about her past traumas.

And then the door burst open, two boys with the same face and lengthy hair rushed in. The only difference between them was that one had two horns. The other only had one. Misora and Inori stared at them as they were panting to recover their breaths. The first to stand straight was the one with a single horn.

"Hey ladies, sorry me and bro are late. The security shudders in the east wing came down and we had to take the long away around."

The other got up and put his hand on his brother's shoulder, tightly gripping to it. This caused the first boy to freeze and start sweating. "Hold it there Natsu… Why don't you tell them how you thought it was a good idea to drumroll the circuit breaker in the east wing?"

"You didn't. How'd you get away from the teachers?" Misora asked.

"Well there was an epic chase and–"

"We opened a window in the nearest classroom. And then I used my Quirk to get us to the ground."

"Tatsu Nii! I was going to tell them the awesome story of how we managed to evade all the teachers!" Natsu cried, looking all sorts of dejected. His brother just sighed and began moving towards the already set up instruments. Completely ignoring him.

"Let's not waste any more time shall we?"

"What about Moji?" Inori asked. Tatsu shook his head.

"He's sick. Stomach poisoning from bad pizza."

"I see… We'll need to do a full rehearsal before the Sports Festival comes around. But for now, let's just keep practicing. Ready?" Inori replied.

"Of course!" Misora cheered, plugging in her guitar.

"Me too!" Natsu replied, hopping behind the drum set.

"On your mark." Tatsu nodded, standing before a keyboard synthesizer. The singer approached the microphone, switched it on and counted her team in. Yes, their practice was miles different from their classmates. But it was for a fairly special occasion…

…

"Alright, new hour, new powers. Let's go." Eiga said as he felt energy come to his body. And unfortunately, two of the three were duds. With one being Napoleon Dynamite. And the other being Happy Gilmore. But he can easily work with the third.

So looking at the pile of junk he has next to him, a consequence of his random Quirk, Eiga began scrounging. He threw aside, toy guns, sports equipment, practice weapons, tools, and various other doohickeys. That was until he found the one thing he needed, a can of spinach. He faced the training dummy that he borrowed and gave the can a squeeze.

But despite it being metal, the top of the can popped and launched its contents straight into the air. And after arcing in a rather comical way, Eiga stepped forward and opened his mouth. The mushy green vegetables went straight into his mouth and slid all the way down his stomach. The film nut pumped his fists into the air, arm bulking up by several fold… Only to deflate back to its original size a second later.

That didn't daunt him however, as he performed a cartoonishly long windup with his arm. And when he finally launched a straight to the dummy's face, the whole upper half whipped back and stretched like a rubber band. Eventually, the thing stopped stretching and began pulling back to its original position. Eiga simply jabbed the thing and began hitting the thing like speed bag. The Dummy's head was even flopping around like one.

"Man, I love cartoon physics! Enjoy the view!" Eiga laughed, upper cutting the whole dummy into the sky. He stepped back and stared upwards, whistling as it barreled through the cloud above. But as he watched the thing slowly stop and come back down… Someone began calling out to him. The moment he looked down, eyes were right in his face.

"How did you do that!?"

"Woah! Too close!" Eiga had to take a few steps back and examined the person. To his surprise, it was a girl who had completely white skin. And another surprise was that her legs were stretched slightly, most likely so that she can match his height. But before any other word could be said, something landed atop of her with a thud. And looking down…

The thing crushed her.

"Ah shit..." Eiga hastily grabbed the dummy and tossed it aside. Upon seeing the girl's body, he noticed that she was literally flat against the ground. Then she started to get up, or rather, slither up and tried her best to not flop over. And the film nut just pondered over the girl's current form.

"How did you do that?"

"One minute…" She said, bending her nose back into place. The girl then pinched it and sucked in plenty of air, until she stopped to hold her breath. Her face scrunched up and she tried to forcefully exhale out of her pinched nose. Eiga jumped back as she ballooned for a brief moment before returning to a body with a third dimension.

"No really, how'd you do that? It's like watching a cartoon."

"Well… Tell me your secrets and I'll tell you mine." She said with a smile. Eiga thought about this… On one hand, this information could be used against him in the Sports Festival. On the other, he'd really like to know what's up with this girl. Just what kind of Quirk let's a person do that? So, with a nod and a hand held out…

"Those are terms I can live with. The name's Satsuei Eiga."

"Gin Haruka."

…

"This would be a whole lot sexier if we were in our swimsuits! Or at least a white T-shirt!"

Mei leapt out of the water and swung her leg around towards her current sparring partner. Takeo ducked under the attack, countering it with an upward slash from his wooden sword. The special eyed girl, whilst still in the air, parried the swipe and landed with a splash. Behind Takeo. She then struck the back of his knee, causing him to fall into the thigh high water.

"It's over!" Mei shouted, pouncing at him with a baton raised. The samurai first allowed himself to float on the water. Before using his sword to pull himself away from his attacker. This maneuver would've been impossible had it not been for his Reflex Quirk. As he enters more unique spars and fights, he's beginning to see just what difference the extra reactivity makes.

Takeo found the ground beneath his feet again, taking up a stance again. Only to see his sparring partner floating face down on the surface. She was also not moving. He dropped his weapon and hustled over to his classmate… Just to fail to intercept a thrust to the gut from beneath the water. It once more made him sink as Mei stood up triumphantly. Her arms raised high.

"I win!"

"I admit defeat. But know that trick won't work on everyone, especially not on Villains." Takeo said, standing up. He then wadded over to the wooden sword floating in the water and picked it up. Mei on the other hand, went to back to land. And wringing out water from her Gym Uniform, she let out a few complaints.

"But seriously though, why water? That stuffs annoying when we're dressed like this. We should've trained in our underwear. Or swimsuits. Or even better…"

"Kazuku, no." Takeo said flatly. Mei still had that idiotic grin on her face as she continued to raise a finger. And once it was high enough, she gestured towards him with her hand.

"Naked."

Takeo groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. But it wasn't before long that a new individual arrived onto the scene. He was short compared to Takeo and Mei, had spikey black hair, and a cross shaped scar over his right eye. And he seemed like he was looking for something or someone.

"Excuse me, can you help me?"

"If it's to get you out of those clothes, then count me–" Mei said, her visible eye shining a deep purple

She was then swiftly interrupted by a thwack to the head. Takeo shook his head as he bowed in apology to the stranger, who gave Mei a 'skeeved out' look. "Please ignore her, she's not completely right in the head. My name is Masaki Takeo, how can I help you?"

"I'm Mishigane Zero. And I'm looking for my classmate. He's a mantis shrimp, about this tall? Screams a lot?" He replied, holding his hand a little over a meter. Takeo shook his head with certainty. A person that looks like a mantis shrimp? There was no way he or Mei would miss such a sight. Doubly so if the individual was consistently loud.

"I'm sorry, I haven't seen such a person."

Zero turned to Mei, expecting an answer from her. But the special eyed girl just shrugged. "Nope. Sorry dude. Oh, and Kazuku Mei."

The guy entered a thoughtful state, pacing near the pond Mei and Takeo sparred in. Zero then stopped and began studying the surface of the water. Takeo said nothing, but Mei was snapping her head around without a clue. "So… Not that I mind having you around. And believe me when I say, I don't mind having you around. But… Why are you still here?"

"Was there anything in the water? Any kind of movement?" He asked.

"No. But I suppose there could be something in the deeper parts of this pond." Takeo answered, hand on his chin. The deepest point was at least chest level. And based on what Zero said, his meter-tall classmate would be completely submerged at that point. The samurai turned to Mei and pointed to the water.

"Kazuku, use your Quirk to see if there's anything below the surface."

Mei raised her eyebrow. But when her class president didn't budge under her questionable, she just walked forward and blinked to the right vision. Which in this case, was infrared. The world became varying shades of blues, greens, yellows, and reds. All indicating how hot they were to each other. And looking into the nice deep blue water, she saw a smidge of turquoise.

"There's a thing down there… But I'm not sure–"

Was all the special eyed could get out before something hit her right in the face, knocking her down. And it came from the water. Takeo was stunned at the speed and suddenness of the object. It was as though there was baseball pitcher hiding beneath the surface. Still, he went to check up on his classmate. There's no way she's not okay after taking that to the face.

"This isn't the kind of wet I want to be." Mei said.

No, she was more than okay. Mei leapt up and went to examine what just hit her. The object turned out to be half of a sandbag with stylized red 'RR' printed on it. And continuing to examine it, she found the casing to be extremely tender and covered with several burn marks. There was also something familiar about it… Wait.

"Isn't this a Red Riot Unbreakable Sandbag? I though these things were supposed to be, you know, unbreakable?"

"Not when it's against my classmate Niji." Zero replied nervously.

"Yes?"

The three looked at the new voice and Mei jumped back several steps. And Takeo would be lying if he said he didn't flinch. This new person, who also wore lead belt for some reason, was practically an alien on all counts.

He had a human form and mouth, but his head shape was shorter than that of a normal person's. Then there were the two bulbous eyes that articulates sitting on top. Next were his hands, or rather, the lack there of. Instead, the thing had bowling ball like clubs for arms. And those went past his knees by a bit. Finally, he had a rainbow-colored shell covering his entire body, including those bulbous eyes of his.

Zero sighed and gestured to his alien looking classmate. "This is 1B's very own Shintou Niji. Say hi Niji."

"Hi. Are you Hero class too?"

"Damn straight! Me and Samurai man here are 1A!" Mei declared proudly. But the moment she said 1A, Takeo saw the shrimp turn a few shades redder compared to before. Optical illusion? Or reality. Still, Niji began screaming at the top of his lungs. And was he loud.

"Niji'll smash you at Sports Fest for Sensei!"

Then he sprinted off, screaming incoherently. Zero bowed quickly in apology before chasing after his classmate, dragging the destroyed sandbag with him. Takeo and Mei stared as the scarred boy utterly fail to keep up with the shrimp. And once they were gone from sight, the two turned to each other. Mei made a spinning gesture by her head while Takeo just shook his head. Whatever that was, it looks like there's going to be some serious competition between the Hero classes.

* * *

 **And that was Chapter 17. But also, here comes some new characters! Right on time for the UA Sports Festival. Their names and where they came from is as follows...  
**

 **Kageyama "Mob" Shigeo (Home Series: Mob Psycho 100), Quirk: ?**

 **Hibiki Misora (Home Series: Megaman Starforce), Quirk: ?**

 **Fuminshou Natsu (OC), Quirk: ?**

 **Fuminshou Tatsu (OC), Quirk: ?**

 **Gin Haruka (OC** **Courtesy of Angelzillah), Quirk: ?  
**

 **Mishigane Zero** **(OC Courtesy of Zero Mishigane Scarlet Strauss), Quirk: ?  
**

 **Shintou Niji (OC), Quirk: Mantis Shrimp**

 **There will be more to come, but I hope that it won't be too overwhelming. Which is why I need your help. Please tell me how I'm doing, otherwise I cannot improve and bring out the full potential of this story.**

 **"As I keep saying... Only you can stop bad writers from writing bad fan fiction."**

 **Also, I've decided on an update schedule for my stories. I'll be updating on a biweekly basis, gives me more time to write and polish a chapter. But since I'm working on three stories at once, I need to know if my quality is slipping. I cannot stress how important getting feedback is. So please, do share your thoughts.**

 **"You know a guy's desperate when he starts begging."**

 **But other than that. I've got nothing else to say. So with that out of the way...**

 **Until Next Time. T1.**


	20. Chapter 18: Tranquil Train Ride Home

**I only own my OCs, everything else belongs to their respective creators.** **Warning, may contain Out of Character moments.**

* * *

Eri took a deep breath, adjusting her grip on the gun case she was carrying. Currently, the girl was waiting for a train to get back to the UA dorms. But the wait seems longer than usual, no doubt because of the anticipation for tomorrow's event. However, despite the tension, she was ready.

In the past two weeks, Eri weapon handling proficiency has gone up by at least three percent. It didn't sound like much, but in a fire fight, reactivity is everything. It's all about getting the first shot off. And while she's no quick draw gunslinger, the horned girl was confident that she could put at least two rounds into someone before they could attack.

"How'd your gun run go?"

"Managed to improve a little. You?" Eri answered as she turned to the person, smile forming on her face.

"Eh, got the dodging down and I'm not as thirsty. But it could've gone better in one… Area…" Kouta shrugged, feeling a blush form. Once again, he let his Aunt distract him with thoughts of the friend by his side. Only this time, Mandalay went to town with the teasing on the basis that this would be the last day… And this feeling wasn't helped by Eri's words.

"I'm sure you'll get it one day. Still, I can't wait to see you in action."

"Yeah, me too…"

It went quiet between the two as the train pulled up to the platform, both boarding when the doors opened. Because it was the end of the day, the cart was nearly full, and it left the Heroes-in-training standing near the door. In these circumstances, Kouta stood in front of Eri as she leaned against the door. This would protect her from any wandering hands or those with sticky fingers. While it was a bit embarrassing, the safety it offered was worth it. As past experience can attest to.

"Hey, I want to say sorry..." Eri apologized bashfully.

"For what?"

"For tomorrow since we're going to beat each other up. I just remembered, again, that we'll be going for each other's throats, just like Deku nii-san and his friends."

"You don't need to apologize for something like that. Yeah we'll be going all out, but anything less would be a real kick to the balls. And I know you don't like being treated like you're fragile… Which is kind of weird that you still want me to stand in front of you." Kouta answered, shifting slightly to allow other passengers some more breathing room.

"This is different, a lot of weird things happen on a train. And it's not like I hate having you be my Knight in shining armor sometimes. You always help me out when I find myself at the end of my rope."

"I-I see… Uhh… Wow." Kouta's blush was now feverish and Eri giggled a little. It really was fun to make him blush... Though she'll have to stop since Mei's been the one putting the red on their faces. And her teasing is a whole lot worse. Her thoughts stopped as she felt Kouta's body press against hers, slowly being pushed until her back is against the other door. Looks like more passengers are coming in…

"Sorry, rush hour." He apologized. Eri shook her head, though it was fairly difficult since her horn would jab him. She then proceeded to rest her chin on Kouta's shoulder, thinking about that little appendage of hers. Which led her to think about her Quirk.

"Kouta, do you think I should've told them the whole story?" Eri whispered. Kouta's eyes went to her, his mind thinking over that question. It was hard to say, the reality behind Eri's entire past started with her Quirk. And the truth behind it isn't so comfortable. Especially to the person telling it.

"No. You already had a hard-enough time talking about your blood. So let's wait until you're ready. And I'll be there if you need me."

"But don't you think they'll be upset? I did tell them that I trusted them with my Quirk…" The one horned girl already began feeling that stinging sensation of lying to friends. She didn't like lying, that kind of thing usually got people hurt. But was she ready to let others bear witness to her bloody life in detail? Letting it out could just change how they see her.

"You told me everything, and yet here I am. So have a little faith in them, they won't leave." Kouta answered. Doubt always clouded Eri's head whenever she thinks about the true nature of her Quirk. But the boy in front of her always knew just how to dispel that. All so that she can focus on her ultimate goal.

To become a Hero.

"Maybe Kouta's right, I'm over thinking this… Even though I told everyone what my blood does, they weren't afraid one bit… It's just old fears, stop letting them run rampant…" Eri muttered. She then proceeded to wrap her arms around Kouta and nuzzled into his shoulder. And already can she feel the boy's body temperature go up a few degrees. Though, maybe, the rise in heat was coming from own body.

"E-Eri?"

"I-I know… But this helps me calm down… You help me calm down."

"O-Okay, just… Warn me next time… Alright?"

The girl nodded lightly and continued to soak in the extra warmth emanating from Kouta. All the anxiety she falsely built up began melting away, strength fully returning to her. Now, Eri was ready for whatever happens next.

"Oh man, any more and I think I'll go diabetic. And you two said you weren't dating." She and Kouta froze to the sound of that voice, turning slowly to the source. Directly next to them…

"Yo what's up?" Mei asked with a smirk plastered on her face. Eri wasn't ready for that.

No conversation occurred for the next few minutes, both Eri and Kouta were too busy choking on half formed words. Not to mention suffering from the sheer shock of having the she-devil of mischief appear suddenly out of nowhere. And having her witness this rather intimate moment… In fact, how long was she listening to them?

"Why are you here?" Eri would've shouted, but that would've disturbed the other passengers on this crowded train.

"How about when did you get here? There was another person just there." Kouta asked, looking around for said person. The special eyed girl smirked as she saw how much her two classmates were shifting around, completely aware of what they were trying to do. So to prevent them from doing just that… Mei continued her trolling.

"I'm like the Devil, I appear when your heart wavers and tempt you to the dark side."

"We're not going to argue with that… But no seriously, why are you here?" Eri replied, giving her a solid glare.

"Learn to loosen up and humor me guys… Anyway, I went out to buy some ice cream." Mei then gestured to the small cooler that was perfectly balanced on her head. Eri and Kouta stared at the object, wondering how on Earth did they miss that detail… While silently impressed that it hadn't fallen over yet.

"Couldn't you just ask Shokuji to make some?" Kouta asked. He then noted how Eri frowned slightly, realizing that he had just implied that their classmate/friend was some servant who must cater to their every wish. Still Mei continued on with some story that had some relevant details.

"You don't know this about me, but I go ham on ice cream mochi before and after big days. So there I was, heading out, when our master chef caught me. He be like 'gurl, where you runin off to'? And I told him what I told you and he was like 'nah man, I'll make some for you and the gang. I got the mochi, but I need me some sweet ice cream'. So he gave me some cheddar and I asked around for the favorites. Finally, I went to the market, bought me some dank treats, and here I am."

"… Why are you talking like that?" Kouta asked, noticing the oddly inserted vernacular in his classmate's spiel.

"Eiga had a gangster movie on, it was alright."

"That still doesn't explain how you wormed your way over here." Eri replied.

"That's exactly what I did. Couldn't miss your cap or your horn and I slithered my way towards you. If I wanted to be, I could be one slippery bastard."

"Not could be, you ARE a slippery bastard. And you're one all the God damn time. Now can you leave us alone?" Kouta replied.

"Alright, alright, you kids. Auntie Kazuku will leave you to your date."

"Thank you, nobody likes a third whe– NO WAIT!" Eri said before realizing the implications of her words.

"If you'll excuse me, I have to tell everyone the good news…" Mei snickered as she somehow squeezed through the people surrounding them. Luckily for the two, they could track her movements with the cooler that was still on her head. Though that did nothing to stop their combined malice from clearing a path…

"Let's kill her."

"Agreed."

And so, the duo spent the rest of the day hunting down the special eyed girl. Zealously chasing after the mad cackling that pierced the evening air…

* * *

 **And that has been chapter 18.  
**

 **I've got nothing to say except the usual stuff, so I'm just going to skip that.**

 **However, the one thing I will say is that if you want a proper response to any questions, please get a account if you don't have one. It's frustrating to not be able to rectify any confusions as someone may continue the story with a misunderstanding. So please, help me help you and let's build an understanding together. Make this story better with your critiques and maybe better any future ideas you may have with mine.  
**

 **Also, next chapter will make references to my prequel story "What He Left Behind". So I recommend you read that before the next update in two weeks.**

 **And that is all. Please leave a review and I'll do my best to answer any questions, comments, and concerns.**

 **"Only you can stop bad writers and stuff like that."**

 **So with that said...**

 **Until Next Time. T1.**


	21. H02: Distant Past, Immediate Future

**I only own my OCs, everything else belongs to their respective creators.** **Warning, may contain Out of Character moments.**

 **Beware, context for this chapter lays in my prequel story "What He Left Behind'. To prevent any confusion, please read that before continuing on. I apologize for any inconveniences.**

* * *

Bakugou took a deep breath as he walked down the path to UA's dormitories. It was very early in the morning, most of the students should still be asleep, so he wasn't worried about being spotted. Especially when he's carrying a bouquet of flowers. Normally he wouldn't be caught with something like that, but today was special.

He stopped walking and looked up, studying the well-maintained statue of the One True Hero. "Hey nerd, it's been a while."

Bakugou laid down the bouquet at the base of the statue and placed his hands together, a prayer escaping his lips. His mind began to collect all that has happened since the last time he visited the statue. But where should he start? The Bubble King Hostage Crisis? The SJ Bank break in? The appearance of Dastardly D? How he was swarmed the other day by obnoxious fans?

Too many stories, too little time. But the thoughts stopped when he heard light footsteps approach from behind. Being the number one Hero, Bakugou didn't take these sounds without suspicion. He slowly peered around his shoulder to check whatever the sound was… And spotted a short individual with grape like hair carrying his own bouquet of flowers.

"Hey Bakugou."

"Mineta. Didn't think you'd be here so early, I thought you'd be busy screwing around with Motsure." He said, turning back to the statue. But while he wasn't looking at the little imp, the Bane of Evil could tell that his old classmate now colleague was giving off a dopey grin.

"I may love Yui with everything this little body can offer, and believe me, I do… But right now, my heart has to go out to the person who made us who we are. Because I don't want to forget what everything Midoriya has done."

Mineta then laid down his flowers at foot of the statue and begun praying as well. Bakugou waited in silence, absorbing the ambient early morning air, as the shorter Hero finished his prayers. He then began wondering if anyone was up early, finishing up on some last-minute training for the Sports Festival. Or if there'll be anyone worth his interest. Maybe those little shrimps, Eri and Kouta, has grown into someone reliable.

"You already thinking who you want to recruit?" Mineta commented, proceeding to stand next to Bakugou. The Bane of Evil smirked to that, he definitely was and is not about to shy away from the truth.

"You're damn right I'm thinking about it. I'm going to hoover up the cream of the crop and they'll learn from me what it takes to be number one."

Mineta just snorted and that quickly earned him a glare from Bakugou. "What? You think I can't do it?"

"You're not exactly the best teacher there is Bakugou. Sure, you're smart, but that temper of yours still pops up whenever you tutor someone. And it'll be a while before you can out teach Midoriya... Even though he's not around anymore, he's still showing people a thing or three about being a Hero."

"Can't argue with that. Deku has set the new standard and people are trying their best to follow it. Hell, there are two institutes that were founded because of him, the Aspiring Heroes Association and… That fucking cult…" Bakugou said with a nod. Though as his thoughts turned to the Cult of the Unyielding, a feeling of 'eh?' took hold.

They weren't bad people per say, ignoring the occasional vigilante amidst their ranks. The Cult of the Unyielding was usually the first to call for Heroes and emergency services during a crisis. It's just that… They style themselves after Midoriya a bit too closely, mostly by dying their hair forest green and wearing red sneakers. Some of the more zealous members would even draw freckles on their faces and mimic his note taking habits. Then there was the fact that they worship the nerd as though he was a God or, at the very least, a Messiah.

Deku's a great Hero, Bakugou can freely admit that without hesitation. But turning him into a deity was just ridiculous. And that was a sentiment all of his old classmates shared.

"It makes me wonder what Midoriya would think. He'd probably just as confused as the rest of us." Mineta replied.

"And it makes me wonder what things would be like if Deku was still here."

"I know I'd get kicked out of UA for crossing the line, go full Hikikomori, creep around Akihabara all day, and stalk the girls. And you'd probably still be an angry little shit with so much ego, no one could tell the difference between you and a hot air balloon." Mineta said with a laugh. Bakugou gave a small chuckle as well, easily imaging how his younger self would react to those words. Still, after the slight air of levity, things became tense and heavy. The shorter man casted his eyes to the ground, smile faltering.

"It's hard to believe that eleven years has passed since Midoriya sacrificed himself for us. Even with all that's happened, I sometimes still find myself crying whenever I think about that night. Like there's still a small hole in my heart."

"You're not alone in that. No matter how far we move forward, doing our best to live for Deku, there's still some weight on us. And it's the kind that'll stay with you until death." Bakugou then sighed, wiping his eyes of the tears that were slowly building. Calm down… Deep breaths…

This was still a sore subject for him and his old classmates. Despite how well they moved on, that scar would start aching during times of stillness. It was a personal demon that they all shared, a whisper that would weaken their resolve. But like before, 1A just needed a reminder to banish those doubts. A slight push forward from the past.

"It hurts… But I'm still going to move forward, carrying the standard Deku left behind. I'll keep reaching out for those who need our help. Because that's what a Hero does."

"I know Bakugou, I know. I'm still going to be the Hero that Midoriya believed I could be. But sometimes… Don't you wish he was here with? All those stories we have are going to waste away in our heads. And it just doesn't feel the same telling it to his grave or monument." Mineta replied, attention turning to the statue. The Bane of Evil followed and studied the thing, formulating his thoughts.

Despite it being stone, there was something alive about the statue. The way it smiled and held its fist in the air gave it a presence you can feel. In fact, the thing's aura mimicked that same energy that surrounded Midoriya. And the more Bakugou looked at it, the more his motivation returned to him. It's no wonder Principal Nezu decided to put the statue near the dorms, the students will constantly experience Deku's 'never giving up' vibes. Pushing them all to Go Beyond…

But at the end of the day, UA's Monument of the One True Hero was still just a statue. It was no replacement to the real person…

"You know, you're being real sour right now grapist. What's going on?" Bakugou asked, temper flaring to beat back the sadness. Mineta didn't flinch, though he was surprised that his colleague used one of the many derogatory nicknames he had in the past. Though why Bakugou used it was understandable, he was frustrated at his pessimism.

"I don't know… I've been fine since the Memorial years back… But since I woke up today, I've got this bad feeling in my gut. Like something big is going to happen today and we're not going to be strong enough to deal with it."

Bakugou dropped his anger and began pondering. Was there Villain organization, since acting alone was suicidal, stupid enough to invade UA during their most anticipated event? Where a bunch of pro Heroes would instantaneously respond? The League of Villains still existed, but they're laughable since most of their veterans and leadership was behind bars. The Eight Precepts were regaining strength but not enough to topple the aforementioned wall of Heroes that were present.

…

The Doctored Dynasty? They would certainly have the resources, being a world class black market dealer and all… But since the attack at USJ, they've gone silent. Not a single trace of Dastardly D and his band of Villains has been found since then. And the Chimera that's been captured has been no help since it can't, or rather won't, talk. And that's the worst thing a Hero can face, an enemy that doesn't let any information slip.

The Bane of Evil, however, refuses to let this consume his colleague. "Listen Mineta, even if something does go wrong. Are going to cry and run?"

The shorter Hero took a glance at the statue and shook his head, doubt fading. "No, I'm not going to run. Heroes stay to fight and protect."

"Exactly. Whatever happens today, we'll deal with it the same we dealt with every other incident these past eleven years. So don't let the anxiety and sadness keep you from being your best. Stand tall or stand back." Bakugou said. He then saw the slight slouch in Mineta's posture straighten, his face showing a renewed resolve.

"Yeah… You're right Bakugou. No matter what happens today, that shouldn't change who I am or what I do in the face of danger. I'm Grape Shot, a Hero who fought alongside Deku and held rank 19 for the last four years, and I don't run from the fire. Not anymore."

"Well said you little shit. If that nerd was around, he'd be proud of you."

"Hey!" A new voice called. The two looked over at its source and saw the rest of their old classmates approaching. All of them were carrying flowers to be offered. With a nod to each other, they approached with a cheerful greeting. And for the rest of the morning, nothing but small talk and laughter filled that space. Everything felt right in the world.

Bakugou took a moment to take in the atmosphere and a confident smirk spread across his face. Today was going to be a good day.

* * *

 **And that has been chapter 2 of this unique section.**

 **The real difficult thing about this was consolidating enough feels while making sure what was being said wasn't on loop. But in the end, I don't think I did either of those right. So I'll leave it the judgement to you, the readers. Was this emotional? Or was it redundant?**

 **"Truly a question for the ages."**

 **Currently, I'm trying to find a job to satisfy my parents and because writing fan fiction, no matter how decent it maybe, doesn't pay. Problem, it would cut into my writing time even though I update every two weeks. So if there's a change in quality, you'll all know why. But all in all, I've been able to build up my writing habits quite well. I'm starting to resist the urge to boot up Skyrim and fuck around with unlimited power.**

 **"No one man should have all that power..."**

 **And despite feeling some motivational hurdles due to difficulties, I'm brute forcing through them. It's a great learning experience and I only hope that I've done it well enough for your tastes. So please, do leave behind a review whenever a new chapter pops up.**

 **"You stop bad writers and things like that."**

 **So with all that said...**

 **Until Next Time. T1.**

 **...**

 **...**

 **...**

 **Warning, extra content ahead.**

* * *

 **The Top 19, Hosted by Mineta Minoru**

"Hey... Now before you all chase me with pitchforks and torches for my sins, I want to talk about what happened after Class 1A lost... Midoriya..."

*sniff*

"Sorry, it still gets to me... After the memorial service UA held for him, we all dedicated ourselves to improving everything we possibly could. Our fighting techniques, our teamwork, our people skills... We wanted to soar above everyone else for the one person who made it all possible. And after graduating UA as the top 19 students, we all took to our duties as sidekicks with real passion in hopes to leave our mark the same way Midoriya did."

"Now some of us had better luck than others, like Bakugou. But in the end, we're all together in the rankings and it has stayed that way for the last four years. Not only that, we've all got a public title to commemorate our most memorable mission. However, I'm not really going to explain what each of the missions are since those are stories in on themselves. So for your viewing pleasure here are the the titles and ranks we all hold."

( **1** ) The Bane of Evil, **Catachan** , Bakugou Katsuki.

( **2** ) The People's Champion, **Shouto** , Todoroki Shouto.

( **3** ) The Smiling Shooting Star, **Uravity** , Uraraka Ochako.

( **4** ) The Mach One Role Model, **Ingenium** , Iida Tenya.

( **5** ) The Lady of the Lake, **Froppy** , Asui Tsuyu.

( **6** ) The Unyielding Guardian, **Red Riot** , Kirishima Eijiro.

( **7** ) The Ear of God, **Pulse Jack** , Kyouka Jirou.

( **8** ) The Judgement of Zeus, **Chargebolt** , Kaminari Denki.

( **9** ) The Enigma Breaker, **Creati** , Yaoyorozu Momo.

( **10** ) The Energetic Equalizer, **Queen pH** , Ashido Mina.

( **11** ) The Silent Night, **Tsukuyomi** , Tokoyami Fumikage.

( **12** ) The Dazzling Beacon, **Orion** , Aoyama Yuga.

( **13** ) The Ceaseless Hunter, **Tentacole** , Shouji Mezo.

( **14** ) The Great Sage, **Tailman** , Ojiro Mashirao.

( **15** ) The Web Weaver, **Cellophane** , Sero Hanta.

( **16** ) The Oni Slayer, **Anima** , Kouda Kouji.

( **17** ) The Dancing Breeze, **Spectrum** , Hagakure Tooru.

( **18** ) The Cure to Famine, **Sugarman** , Satou Rikido.

( **19** ) The Vineyard Gargoyle, **Grape Shot** , Mineta Minoru.

"And before I run off, I'll include one last thing. While he isn't officially in the Hero Rankings, this person will always be number one in everyone's hearts. And it has been this way for the past eleven years, not that I disagree. So with that said... See you next time."

( ***** ) The One True Hero, **Deku** , Midoriya Izuku.


	22. Chapter 19: A Champion's Gratitude

**I only own my OCs, everything else belongs to their respective creators.** **Warning, may contain Out of Character moments.**

 **Again, context for this chapter lays in my prequel story "What He Left Behind'. To prevent any confusion, please read that before continuing on. I apologize for any inconveniences.**

* * *

Eri closed her locker before fiddling with the sleeves of her UA gym uniform. Unlike the others, the girl had one with sleeves that went up to her wrists. But thankfully, no one in her class bothered asking about this anomaly, seeing the difference as just a preference. She let a small smile appear on her face, Kouta was right about trusting their friends.

Thought that was immediately turned south when she felt a certain someone staring at her.

"You smiling cause bae is on your mind?"

"You're not going to let up on what you saw yesterday, are you?" Eri asked with a groan, turning to the person. Mei, wearing her usual manic grin, just nodded like an excited six year old. The one horned girl just sighed and blew past her, sitting down to double check the gear she's carrying.

In accordance to the guidelines, the barrel of the firearm she is allowed to use cannot exceed 13 cm. So she chose the H&K MP5k and six additional 30 round magazines. All of which are loaded with Concussive type B, an ammo designed to train novice shooters as the damage it causes is very light in comparison to other rounds. It should still be used with caution however, as sustained fire can cause injury.

Once she was satisfied, Eri leaned back into her chair and observed her classmates. Kouta was filling his canteens and hydration pack using the room's water fountain. Takeo was kneeling and meditating before a wooden sword. Taki was just curled up and sleeping as Rei petted him. Hitoshi was mumbling motivational quotes to himself. And Kou was looking in the mirror, making all sorts of ridiculous poses.

"I do hope that my brilliant form doesn't steal all the attention away from the rest of you. But admittedly, that'd impossible as who can resist these muscles." Kou said, continuing to flex.

"And then they'll be turned off when they find out how much ego stroking you do." Ken replied with a scoff as he put his feet up on a table. Mei's head snapped towards the delinquent, her manic grin actually getting wider. Knowing what was to come, Eri and several others pointed at her dramatically.

"Mei! No!"

Silence... But the special eyed girl's grin kept getting wider and wider. And fully knowing what comes at the end of this period of peace, the class prepares for the inevitable.

"Masturbation."

A groan rang out as Mei snickered, a sign that the girl was firing on all cylinders today. A knock on the door soon dispelled the exasperation and a Festival Staff Member poked his head in. "You ready? We're about to start the event."

"Yes, thank you." Takeo said as he stood up, sword in hand. The staff member nodded and closed the door again. The samurai then motioned for his classmates to gather around, which they followed. "When we walk out onto that field, we'll be enemies doing all we can to best each other. But whatever happens today, let's not develop any grudges towards one another. We're friends and classmates, show your respect and you can walk away with pride in face of defeat."

"Now don't go crying when you lose Pres, otherwise you're going to have to eat those words." Ken replied with a laugh. The samurai just gave a friendly chuckle and turned to face the door, opening it. And with a gesture, Class 1A exited their waiting room and walked towards the field. Each step was made with certainty and weighted with resolve, they were ready.

…

"Hey listeners, are you ready!?"

An equally ear piercing cheer erupted to answer Present Mic's question. Fireworks and fanfares went off as the stadium roared to life; the UA Sports Festival has begun. Though many have seen this event several times over, this moment was still awe-inspiring. Both Heroes and Civilians can hardly contain their energy, waiting to witness this year's rising stars.

"Now that's what I'm talking about! Welcome to another year of crazed battles and intense rivalries between our wonderful first years! It's me, Present Mic, and I'll be your host once more! Acting as my co-host, we have the lovely, 18 plus Heroine, Midnight. Together, we'll be giving you detailed, play by play commentary of each event! So do look forward to that!"

"Oh I will Mic. I can't wait to see how the students will passionately duke it out. Oh the joys of youth, how I miss it."

"Then let's get that immortal spirit fired up! Because we're all about to have the time of our lives! Here they are, the first years of UA!"

Eri smiled to the sound of Present Mic's and Midnight's enthusiasm. Despite getting older and being supplanted by their junior Heroes, they do their best to keep their head held high. And as she and her classmates walked into the sunlit stadium, the girl vowed to give them something to talk about. Though, she first has to do something about this knot in her stomach.

"So many people… Did Deku nii-san felt this nervous too?" She thought, taking deep breaths.

"With more than just numbers in their heads, they're the artists that turn the Hero into a household icon! Give it for the Department of Management, Classes J, K, and L!" Present Mic shouted excitedly. Breaking out of her thoughts, Eri looked over at the cluster of waving students. All of them were giving welcoming smiles and walked with authority, as though they were ready to negotiate a deal. Their professional attitude, when compared to the fierce determination of the other students, was rather striking. Like having well trained guard hound sit next to your average, everyday dog.

"Next are the incarnations of every inventor ever! Pay close attention because you'll be seeing the latest n' greatest designs in Hero tech! Here is the Department of Support, Classes G, H, and I!" Midnight announced. The one horned girl turned to the mass of students decked out in all sorts of gadgets. Some had sleek and futuristic designs while others were more rustic and archaic. But despite this, Eri knows that the support companies must be eyeing them rather closely. Just waiting to see what these young technicians and engineers have built.

"And now here comes the believers of a better tomorrow! The boys and girls, who may not wear a mask or costume, but work tirelessly to help our world in their own way! Give a warm welcome to our Department of General Education, Classes D, E, and F!" Mic continued, screaming at the top of his lungs. When examining that group, Eri noted that only few were excitedly waving to the cheering crowd. Most were whether neutral, crestfallen, or staring at the Hero classes with bitter envy. And she doesn't blame them, as they no doubt had dreams of being a Hero like her. But, for whatever reason, could not attain it.

"And finally, here are the boys and girls you've been waiting for…" Midnight began.

"Picked from the best of our applicants, the cream of the crop!" Mic added.

"Take a real good look, people of Japan, for here are our Heroes-in-training!"

"From the Department of Heroics! It's Classes A, B, and C!"

The air practically exploded as the audience let out a roaring applause, forcing her to cover her ears. But despite this action, she could hear a certain group of individuals shouting through the cheers. And looking towards the source, she began to smile brightly.

Her surrogate family, the Top 19, were waving towards her and shouting encouragements. They didn't say any names to prevent showing favoritism towards a single student, but Eri can tell the words were intended for her. Her own determination strengthened, a single thought passing through her head. "I'll make them proud."

"Still the doting family I see." Kouta commented, looking over at the cheering Heroes. Eri just gave a soft chuckle and lightly scratched at her cheek, she couldn't deny that. Growing up, all of them taught her various things and showered her with the affection she never received before her rescue. And nothing was going to change that, even when she's no longer a helpless child.

"That's family for you. What about Sosaki-san and the Wild Pussycats? Are they here to cheer you on?" Eri asked. Her friend just shook his head, a small frown on his face. That in turn made the girl feel bad for the attention she's getting.

"They're stationed over at the third year stadium, so no. But don't feel so bad about it Eri, I'm used to the disappointment."

"Still… If that's the case, do your best okay?"

"Y-Yeah, you too." Kouta replied, his cheeks turning slightly red.

"And you wonder why the others tease you? If you're going to pretend that there's no relationship between you two, then stop being all intimate in public. Especially in front of us."

The two flinched and looked over at Sho, who was pushing away an elated Rei. And when turning to their other classmates, the two can see a few others who were being lead away. Eri and Kouta then made an effort to distance themselves from each other, red on their faces. Though something did draw the attention away from them, and it came in the form of an incoherent, angry scream.

"WITNESS NIJI! AAAAHHHH!"

Well ahead of anyone else, there stood a very short, alien looking person who was in a mid-squat, had his club like arms partially raised up, and he screamed skyward as if he has a grudge against the Heavens. And he was somehow louder than the entire stadium combined.

"Looks like someone's real excited, can't wait to see what he'll show us." Midnight announced.

"And what a shout he made! It makes my ears quake to think that someone out there has lungs like that! And my Quirk is plenty loud!" Mic yelled, most likely trying to reassert vocal dominance.

Eri could feel a bit of sweat running down her head as an awkward laugh left her lips. Regardless, she continued walking towards the center of the field with her class, once more with determination. And when all the first years coalesced in front of the makeshift stage, where an unenthusiastic Aizawa waited in front of a microphone, things can officially get started.

"First Years, welcome to your first UA Sports Festival. I'm sure you know this… But this isn't like any other Sports Festival you've seen or participated in. This is a winner takes all kind of thing, so be ready to fight for first with everything you got. Show the crowd your potential and you'll find your future set." He said.

"YES SIR!"

"Good, good… Now, instead of an Athlete's Oath, we'll be doing something special. Our People's Champion has requested to address you directly, and I'm granting it. So get down here Shouto and get whatever it is off your chest." Aizawa said. A gasp of awe rang out as the audiences' eyes went to the red and white haired Hero sitting in the Heroes' seating section.

Todoroki stood up, face calm and collected as always, and walked down towards the safety railings. From there, he vaulted over it, created a ramp of ice to slide down, and then made a path to slide all the way to the stage. While it was a simple trip between points A and B, the way the Hero quickly slid around was memorizing and impressive. And then there were the swooning fans, cheering the Champion on for his display even though this wasn't his most impressive maneuver.

He bowed to Aizawa before going to take the microphone. His dual colored eyes scanned the many faces that filled his vision. Todoroki then turned to his colleagues of the Top 19, a gesture that Eri recognized and knew what he wanted to say.

"Eleven years is a long time for anyone. Kids get bigger, Teenagers get wiser, Adults get crankier…" Todoroki began as some laughed to those last few words.

"But it's those days we put behind us that drives us forward, shapes us into who we are today. And it was eleven years ago, on a day like this, in this very stadium, that my life was changed forever. Long before I was Shouto the People's Champion, I was Shouto the Ice King to my classmates. Cold, isolated, and hardly felt anything. I was far from an ideal hero and behaved more like soldier on a mission. And back then, it was to spite my old man with every fiber of my being… The Flame Hero, Endeavor."

The Number Two Hero's dual colored eyes went over to the bright fire that stood where the Heroes sat. And where his attention went, so did the rest of the Stadium with every man, woman, child, student, and Hero focusing on the imposing figure. Todoroki Enji, though over a decade older and heavily scarred, hasn't lost any edge to his presence, flames burning just as furiously as the day of his debut. No matter how many eyes stared at him, how many different emotions began pouring down on him, Endeavor didn't buckle.

"Before he changed himself to become a Hero I can be proud of… He caused much pain to the family and drove a nasty wedge between all of us in pursuit of an impossible goal. I resented him for that and made it my life's mission to deny everything my Father stood for. And it started by refusing to use the left half that I inherited from him, a complete rejection of the flames that burned away my innocence…" Todoroki continued, glaring intensely at his left hand.

Eri swallowed hard, the events behind the Todoroki family are still relatively unknown to her and the public. And that's mostly because no one in the Todoroki family wanted to talk about it. And between the indomitable Endeavor and the Villain related to him, all agree that they probably shouldn't dig too deep into the history. Otherwise, they might find a truth too excruciating to bear…

There's just no need to taint the world the One True Hero protected with more evil.

"And so I grew up on that grudge, letting it fester as I honed my ice. I eventually attended this school, despite it being my old man's alma mater, because it was the best place to better my control over my right half. Nothing else mattered to me, not my classmates or whatever little conversation they were having. It was all about my personal vendetta against Endeavor."

"Then the Sports Festival rolled around. I thought things would remain the same as I continue to ignore the people around me. Then that all ended when I faced off with Midoriya Izuku, the man who would become the One True Hero. For all those who saw that fight eleven years ago, you know that I won… But looking back, I know for certain that this fact couldn't be further from the truth. In that fight, it wasn't about strength or survival but principles and perspective." Todoroki said, his face growing a little sadder. He went to look at the students, all of them entranced by his personal anecdote. Even Eri was drawn in, despite already knowing the story. So the Hero took a deep breath and continued to say his piece.

"Midoriya knew about my problem, on why I needed to prove to my old man that I didn't need his strength. He knew why… Yet he called me out, told me that winning with half my strength wouldn't be enough to reject all that was placed on me. At first I thought Midoriya got paid off, to force me to use my flames to satisfy my father. But with the way he was destroying his body to fight me, I knew it was something else that drove him. So I asked him, what it was that made him go so far. Do you know what Midoriya said to me right then and there?"

"Because I want to live up to everyone's expectations. I want to be able to smile and respond to them. To be a cool hero, that's what I want to be… Those words resonated with a part of me that I forgotten but never actually remembered until he said five words. 'It's your power, isn't it?'" Todoroki said as he stared into his right hand. His eyes quivered slightly, eyes glossy and at risk of shedding tears over such a close memory. The anticipation was quite palpable, enough to generate a tension that can be felt throughout the stadium. He was reopening old wounds for all to see after all.

Still, when he looked back at his audience, Todoroki's eyes shined brighter than before.

"I woke up. Remembering the wisdom of All Might and the encouragement of my Mother, I remembered why I wanted to be a Hero. For a moment, I forgot about my Father and focused on winning the battle with absolutely everything I had, flames burning brightly. And I did... But Midoriya, he couldn't care less about the results of the match, all he wanted was for me to be free of my curse. He made me think about my life and where I wanted to go with it. And after that day, I decided to move on, ready to show the world BOTH of my powers." The Hero produced a soft flame from his left hand and a small ice chunk from his right. The way Todoroki held those two elements level with each other made him look like a scale, perfectly balanced.

"My origin story didn't begin with the discovery of my Quirk. Nor was it spurned by the tragedy of my family. But it all started here, on a day like this, when a Hero saved me." He extinguished both the flame and melted the ice… But one could tell that something was still shining within the People's Champion. And the feeling filled all those who gazed upon his determined state.

"Before I end this, I want to thank my friends, the greatest Heroes that I have the honor of knowing, for bearing with the person I was before. You all helped me reconnect with a world I lost when I was young. And helped me enjoy the little things life had to offer between the madness our jobs throw at us." Todoroki thanked, bowing towards his former classmates. The audience cheered as the old Class 1A threw their glowing smiles and warm thanks back at the People's Champion. Though…

"YOU'RE FUCKING WELCOME, HALF AND HALF!"

"LANGUAGE CATACHAN! THERE ARE CHILDREN AROUND!" Ingenium screamed, the audience laughing at the ensuing banter.

"Never change Katsuki nii-san…" Eri thought as she nervously stared at the raving Bane of Evil. Things soon quieted down as Todoroki readied to speak once more, turning to Aizawa this time.

"To Eraserhead, my homeroom teacher when I first attended UA. I want to thank you for the lessons you taught all of us. From beginning to end, you always gave us challenges that pushed the limits of our abilities and helped us reach our fullest potential. Along with Deku, Creati, and All Might, you're another person I consider to be the image of a perfect hero."

"Then you must have some really low standards if I'm on that list. I only did what I was supposed to, kick all of you in the right direction. Every obstacle and every challenge each of you faced along the way, that wasn't me who beat it to the curb. It's through your own efforts and the aid of your comrades that you all overcame these hurdles and got to where you are now." Aizawa answered before anyone could applaud. They were wise words and there was a nod of acknowledgement throughout the crowd. Though…

"Come on Eraser! Lighten up and take the compliment!" Mic shouted.

"Yeah! The poor kid's spilling his heart out! Why do you got to shut him down like that!?" Midnight agreed.

"Both of you idiots have got to learn to listen… Are you done yet?" The Scraggly Hero asked, turning to the People's Champion. Todoroki shook his head and proceeded to turn to the executive seating area, where his gaze looked to a chubby woman with green hair and a thin man with a mess of curly hair. Both were well dressed and showing warm smiles to him.

"To Mr. and Mrs. Midoriya… I want to personally thank you again, right here in front of everyone, for raising such a wonderful, thoughtful, and loving son. I don't know where I could've ended up had I not met him, Midoriya had that much of an impact on me. And please, do continue doing wonders with the Aspiring Heroes Association."

A loud welcoming roar rang out throughout the stadium for the parents of the One True Hero. An especially deafening cheer came from a section that had nothing but green haired individuals, excitedly waving around banners like mad. It was kind of weird, but Eri noticed that Hitoshi was giving off a proud smile.

"That's my family right there, the entire east chapter of the Cult of the Unyielding." He said.

"That's a lot more people than I was expecting…" Eri heard Kouta comment.

"And finally, to Midoriya 'Deku' Izuku…" Todoroki said, drawing in the audience's attention again. Those words brought down an almighty silence, enough so that one can hear a person shuffle in their seat from across the stadium.

"Heaven's quite far away, but I hope these words reach you somehow. These past eleven years has been especially hard on all of us… None of us knew what to do in a future without your smile… But on those dark days after your sacrifice, we found out you haven't left us with nothing. Your faith, courage, wisdom, spirit, strength, kindness, we inherited those little pieces that made you who you are. It led us away from the grief and pushed us to new heights. Even after you're gone, you continued to help us all grow into better Heroes, into better people. So we thank you with all our hearts, for your incredible service to Japan. For the love we never deserved. And for the irreplaceable friendship you've built with each of us. To the One True Hero Deku! The one who never gives up!" Todoroki said before going into an invigorating shout. He raised his fist as far as he could towards the sky, hoping others would do the same. And they did. Civilians, students, and Heroes, the whole stadium raised their fists and screamed out with all their might…

"To the One True Hero!"

"Thank you for listening to my long-winded nonsense, give yourselves a round of applause. And to the students, I hope today changes your life as it did mine. Good luck and fight well, we'll be watching." Todoroki said over the emotional uproar of the crowd as he turned to leave. Eri smiled as she watched him leave her sight. She then turned to her classmates, all showing excitement in their own unique ways. Today was certainly going to be one to remember.

"There you have it ladies and gentlemen! The powerful and passionate words of the People's Champion! Our listeners and students are completely pumped up on his speech! So let's not waste that energy and start this festival! ARE YOU READY!?"

* * *

 **And that has been Chapter 19.**

 **This was a very tough thing to write, but I'm happy with it. Again, much of the context to Todoroki's speech comes from my prequel story "What He Left Behind". This may sound like shameless shilling, but I'm very proud of that and hope that I can make a story similar in quality later down the line. But that's enough about that, how was this chapter?  
**

 **"I've got no snark, this was just badass."**

 **Thank you. But since I've got nothing else to say this update... I suppose I'll just end things here.**

 **"Yeah, I'm too tired to say anything else."**

 **There you have it. So with that said...**

 **Until Next Time. T1.**

 **...**

 **...**

 **...**

 **Warning, Extra Content Ahead.**

* * *

 **The Third Hero Class, Hosted by Principal Nezu**

"Hello readers! It's your favorite Mammalian Principal speaking! And I'm here to teach you about one of our latest changes to the school!"

"You see, following Midoriya Izuku's sacrifice eleven years ago, UA received an explosion in admission forms. Many youngsters wanted to attend the school of the One True Hero and learn what it takes to be a Hero. However, because of our strict selection process, only the handful with excellent combat/support Quirks made it through to the two Hero courses."

"Naturally, this lead to a lot of resentment from those who were placed in the General classes. And this has gone on for a while... Until one former student now UA staff member, Shinsou Hitoshi, suggested we make another Hero course that accepts those with great but niche Quirks. Thus Hero Class C was formed and the admission process that selects students into this class."

"UA, for those students, will conduct interviews and present challenging situation problems to them. By showing how to handle it using their abilities, we can determine whether or not they are fit to further their Hero education."

"And while there's still some resentment, not to mention a few powerhouses slipping into Class C, our admission process has now been deemed a little more fair to all aspiring Heroes, regardless of Quirk."

"So, did you learn a lot today? If so, good. If not... Well..."

" **I'm always available for extra tutoring...** "

"But that's for another time. Be sure to have a Plus Ultra day!"


	23. Chapter 20: The Gauntlet

**I only own my OCs, everything else belongs to their respective creators.** **Warning, may contain Out of Character moments.**

* * *

"Alright, your first trial is a classic obstacle race. You all should've seen one of UA's before, but this year's dangers will be very different. It'll only be one lap around the stadium and the first 50 who makes it back here will move on to the next event. So stay on your toes, think quickly, and move like your life depended on it. Now get to your starting positions." Aizawa explained, a gate at the edge of the field opening up.

As the other students began taking their positions, Eri stopped and noticed that Akko wasn't moving. Instead, the witch had her short staff out and was whispering something to it with her eyes closed. She must be performing some kind of powerful magic spell, so it's probably best not to disturb her. Eri jogged over to the massive cluster of students and waited, slowly being surrounded by more people. Calmly gripping her gun as the starting lights began fading.

Three…

Two…

One…

"Start!"

Eri didn't really run forward. Rather, she just focused on staying on her feet and letting the crowd she's surrounded by pull her in. The exit from the stadium onto the course was narrow, so there was no way Eri could power through with her strength. It was better to conserve her energy for the later challenges, where it'll no doubt matter.

Still…

"It's really tight…" Eri grumbled, feeling several people crushing her sides. She looked over to her left and saw someone get their head stepped on, causing him to stumble. And looking up, she saw a girl running along the crowd of heads. But despite this unstable surface, the person still moved with grace and finesse… Mei?

"Later! Don't get too touchy while I'm gone!" She shouted, continuing her crowd run. Eri felt a vein burst to that, was Mei referring to her and Kouta? Even if she wasn't, she sounded a bit too easy going for this Festival. So using more strength, she began pushing through the crowd and towards the other end. The one horned girl might have swum through several of her own classmates, but she was too close to getting out.

"Sorry, but I'm going on ahead." She thought, finally breaking out of the crowd. With one powerful step, Eri began sprinting as hard as she could. While she wasn't the fastest in her class, the girl was much faster than those in the General and Management classes. At least, faster than those without some kind of Quirk that augmented their speed. But those people were going to be the least of her worries, because she has arrived at the first obstacle.

There were holes and trenches everywhere. But as Eri observed the runners ahead, she realized what kind of holes these were. "Pitfalls..."

Normally, these kinds of things would be put at the end of the course to slow down those ahead. Why was it put here instead? Eri shook her head, no point in trying to figure it out since this was probably devised by Principal Nezu. And who knows what that mammal's thinking. She gripped onto her gun tighter and continued her sprint…

That was until she saw something fly overhead, made her slow down. Looking closer, it was a pearl white broom and its rider was Akko. Something about the sight made Eri's heart swell with joy, to see someone freely taking to the skies. Quirks that enable someone to properly fly are rare, with floating Quirks being a more common sight. Technically, floating and flying is the same thing. But in practice, they each give off a different sensation. So to see the Witch ride through the air as she see fits was a real treat.

Then another shadow passed overhead and looking closely, someone was giving Akko chase on a hover board. And before the shape disappeared over the horizon, Eri noticed that the rider had, at least from the back, dark blue hair. Yusaku? Since when could he fly? Akko was understandable, since she was a witch. But him? Not so much.

"Wait up darling." Eri heard as she felt the back of her collar get grabbed. Looking behind her, it was Mei. And looking ahead, there were no other holes, meaning that this was the furthest anyone on the ground has made it. Alternatively, this could be the end of the first–

The ground in front of them collapsed as another person ran ahead, revealing a wide and deep trench. Eri stared at the thing before turning to Mei, reluctantly nodding her thanks before jumping. And upon landing on the other side, she was face to face with Mei again. Eri had to stop herself from jumping back in surprise, lest she fell down the trench behind her. When did she get to the other side? And why is she still here?

"Mei, you know this is a race… Right?" Eri asked as several people ran past. That was until the ground opened beneath those runners and they all fell into another hole.

"Yeah, but I decided I wanted to help my favorite girl. The part up ahead is real tricky with more holes than a bad argument. But luckily, I can see them with my eyes on X-Ray mode. If you follow my lead, both of us can get across without being swallowed by good old Terra Firma."

"You're only offering because I'm going to have to repay you in some way later on. And knowing you, you're probably going to end up embarrassing me."

The sound of more people falling into holes resounded around them as Mei nodded lazily. Eri just rolled her eyes and jumped over the trench in front of her. She truly appreciates that her classmate wanted to help. But Eri also doesn't trust Mei to 'watch her back' as the phrase intended. Though once she ran into an area that was devoid of pits, she found her legs hesitating. One wrong step and she'll fall, spending precious time climbing out.

Still, Eri couldn't hesitate. She advanced slowly, paying attention to the feedback her legs were giving her. If she felt a depression, there was hole beneath it. And slowly but surely, she was making progress as the sounds of more people falling occurred behind her. Though the question remains, how long is this first trial? There was no clear indication of when it will stop. These stopped when the girl felt someone land right next to her. Immediately, Eri swung her gun over and took aim.

It was Kouta.

"Geez, you surprised me." Eri said, lowering her weapon.

"Sorry. But based on how you were moving around, the only safe spot to be is right beside you."

"Good point. But how much longer does this go on for? It's getting frustrating." Eri replied, inching forward slowly. Her foot then stepped on something that didn't feel right and it wasn't a pitfall… Rather, it was a pressure plate she stepped on. The one horned girl slowly turned to her friend, sweat rolling down her face. And the two stood still as someone ran past…

But that person soon fell over, something grasping at their ankles. And looking at what it was, it was a slender robotic hand. Soon after, the rest of it rose out of the dirt and continued to lug around the student it caught. The thing then, with its silicon face, gave Kouta and Eri a wide grin. A chill ran down the two's spine as more of the machines began rising out of the earth.

When did they step into a horror movie?

"We need to fight our way through…" Eri said, gripping her gun tightly.

"You want me to take point?" Kouta asked, readying his hands. The one horned girl didn't answer as she continued to stare down their opponents. The machine threw the person it was carrying at the two, causing them to duck, before charging forward. Eri slipped through the first as Kouta used a blast of water to leap over. And despite how lithe the robots' build were, they weren't as agile as Eri had initially thought.

Whenever they would swing their arms to attack, it was always wide and wild. Thus making it very easy to duck and evade, or step in and attack. But because of Eri's strict ammo count, she chose the former tactic until she has no choice. Though that event was appearing to become more unlikely as more and more people began catching up. This obstacle appears to be more of a scare tactic than anything else.

Mei was once again just dancing through the opposition, redirecting attacks towards any unsuspecting individual. Ken was carving through them with the fangs and claws of whatever beast he assumed. Taki and Kou were straight up ignoring the robots' attacks. And the members of 1B and 1C that Eri could recognize were able to wade through the machines one way or another.

This made the one horned girl redouble her efforts to push through, Eri wasn't about to fall behind. She went to dodge several more swings, running past the ever increasing concentration of enemies. That was until she encounters a literal wall, robots that were equipped with tall riot shields. Not only that, the robots were much bulkier compared to the other ones. There was no sign of Kouta, so he must have simply jumped over with the aid of his Quirk.

Eri began thinking about a way through, though the surrounding robots continued to make her planning difficult. She couldn't just keep dodging; Eri would've been stuck there until the festival was over. So when one took a wild swing, she stepped in and jammed the barrel of her gun beneath its chin. With a quick burst of rounds, the robot was staggered and stunned. Eri quickly then kicked the thing into her other aggressors, knocking them a few down.

That still didn't help her think of a way through the defensive formation before her. And as Eri readied herself for another onslaught from the robots, a loud screech pierced the noise around her.

"AAAAHHHH!"

This was then followed by that short, alien looking student from 1B dashing out, fists tucked close to his chest. This was when Eri noticed something odd happened. Whenever a robot tried to intercept this student, it would then get launched back with a massive cavity on its chest. And despite this level of damage, the student's arms never left his chest or anything, not even his sprint was interrupted. What kind of attack was that?

That question only deepened when he was in range of the robots' defensive line. The student jumped straight at the wall of shields and Eri's eyes widened at the sight. The riot shield suddenly broke into two halves and the robot wielding it toppled over with clearly warped arms. The short student landed atop the down machine in a crouch and the robot's head then caved in just as quickly.

"AAHH!" the student screamed before taking off again. Eri couldn't comprehend just what happened or how the defensive formation suddenly has a hole in it… But her body began moving before her mind to take advantage of the situation. The one horned girl ran through before the shield wall shifted to cover the obvious gap and continued running.

That was when she ran into the final trial, a massive vertical air vent producing a powerful updraft. For just one moment, Eri forgot all about the race and just stared at the massive vent. "How much money does UA have if they can build this on the fly?" She thought.

These thoughts were broken when several students began leaping straight into the current, few tumbling around while others took to it naturally. Among them was Taki, who looked like as though someone threw a bear skin rug into the fray. And as Eri watched the badger, she noted how well he glided through the air despite all logic. The one horned girl took a deep breath and took a running leap, diving head first into the current.

The girl spread her arms and legs as evenly as she could and slowly ascended. She never skydived, but Eri was glad she listened to the various family members who did. It was all about how your limbs and body were positioned in relation to the current. So if she were to…

"Woah… Woah…" Eri began turning too quickly and had to readjust to prevent uncontrollable spinning. She looked around again and found more and more people haplessly trying to advance. She took a deep breath and tried again, angling her body forward. And as such, the girl began moving forward at a modest rate… Though as she continued onwards, something latched to her chest and gripped to her tightly. This forced her to resume a neutral position so that she doesn't lose control.

"What the–?" And upon looking down, she saw two bulbous eyes. Her mind clicked and realized this was the same student that broke through the shield wall. Eri began to let a cold sweat take her body, why did he choose to latch to her?

"Help Niji… Niji no like airtime…" He whispered, his fear overpowering the noise around them. That's when Eri registered the trembling of his body, a sensation that disarmed her anxiety. It was rare to feel someone's defenselessness so closely, was she like that once? If so, then maybe she should help him out of this situation. Just like how Deku helped her.

…

And also because the girl doesn't think she could pry him off. This Niji's grip was that tight.

"Alright, just don't move. This whole thing is very delicate." She said. Eri then felt a stiff nod from Niji and he kept still despite his trembling. She focused once more on trying to navigate through the updraft before anyone else. Her body angled forward again and she began gliding forward again. It was at a much slower pace however, as any faster made the person clinging to her tighten his grip.

As this happens, Eri could see several others pushing on ahead past her. Musubi used his length of rope to grapple onto other people, pulling him forward while pulling them back. A girl with white skin simply extended her arm all the way to the other end, grabbing the ledge, and slung shot herself there. Then there was another person reforming himself from blue smoke on solid ground. And with more and more people getting through, running for the finish line, Eri bit her lip and decide to just go for it.

"Hold on!" She shouted as she angled herself as much as possible. Her body sailed forward, blowing past those who were still inching through the updraft. This came at the cost of her passenger screaming murder, the noise tearing into her ears. Still, she had to bear with it and readied to leave the current. Eri reorientate her body so that she was facing up, as though she was sitting down, and allowed her momentum to carry out.

The girl landed feet first back onto Terra Firma and exhaled, seeing that she made it out intact. Eri then tapped the person that was still latched to her body, who didn't move or let out a noise. "We're on the other side."

Niji's bulbous eyes articulated outwards as what seems to be his pupils moved around. He then proceeded to leap off and wordlessly bowed to the one horned girl; sprinting off soon after. Eri allowed herself a moment to nod in satisfaction of a job well done. She then proceeded to run as she had one thing on mind, get to the finish.

Eri didn't pay much head to those she blew past; it was just one foot in front of the other. She ran until the loud cheers and the even louder Present Mic announced her name. "And here's another! Midoriya Eri of 1A!"

The girls stopped and began catching her breath. She looked up at the scoreboard to see the current ranking, mostly to answer her thoughts that cropped up early on. First and second place belonged to Yusaku and Akko respectively, their lap time well ahead of anyone else. Kouta and Mei were placed 7th and 16th. Taki was 28th and Shintou Niji was 39th. Finally, she came across her rank, 41st place.

It wasn't great or particularly mind blowing, but she was still in the game.

Eri can still fight.

* * *

 **And that has been Chapter 20!**

 **I struggled with this because I had to think of what is feasible for obstacles. And it still ended up as giant mess that requires finesse to move through. But a giant vertical wind tunnel is pretty feasible if one considers how much funding UA must receive. Between maintaining a massive school ground, supplies for the Support Classes, and all the giant robots they seem to throw around, UA can definitely afford a giant vertical wind tunnel.**

 **But what do you think? Is any of this sensible? Leave your thoughts in the usual place.**

 **But other than that, I have no other news. So with that said...**

 **Until Next Time. T1.**


	24. Chapter 21: Ascension

**I only own my OCs, everything else belongs to their respective creators.** **Warning, may contain Out of Character moments.**

* * *

"And stop right there! We have our 50 students who'll move forward to the next round!" Present Mic announced. Eri took a deep breath as the crowd around her roared, all eyes bearing down on them and the score board. Looking at the thing herself, the girl noted which of the students were moving forward.

To her surprise, only about half of Class 1A made it through. Though, as she thought about it, some of them weren't suited for certain obstacles. Like Kou and his extreme weight would prevent him from even attempting the air current obstacle. It was sad that she wouldn't be able to compete with all of them, but that's the nature of the Sports Festival.

"Hey slow-poke, glad to see your fine ass here."

Eri then felt someone drape their arm over her shoulders. With a sigh, she turned to the only person who would get this up close and personal with her. "Mei."

"Come on, don't be like that, we're the bestest buddies of the bunch. I'm already predicting that we'll be making a bunch of waves this Festival." The Special Eyed girl said, getting uncomfortably close to her classmate's face. Eri just slapped Mei's face and pushed her away; walking towards her other friends and classmates.

Akko was lying on the ground, eyes closed, and Rei was petting Taki. Why those two were doing that in the middle of an enormous crowd was beyond her. But whatever the reason, Eri's glad the pressure hasn't gotten to any of them yet. They can all face the challenges ahead with an earnest heart and a smile on their faces.

Though that was an interesting question, what will be thrown at them next? Last year was a Capture the Flag and the year before that was a Team Death Match. And that's not even getting into the assortment of crazy nonsense that appeared before then. Like… Tower Jousting… That looked like a nightmare to participate in.

"Are you feeling alright Eri? You're spacing out."

The girl looked over to her side and saw Kouta opening the cap on one of his canteens. She shook her head and gave the boy a gentle smile. "I'm fine, just thinking about past Festivals… And the weird second events they had."

"Oh yeah, those were a hot mess. It was still fun to watch though." Kouta replied before taking a drink. The two then felt a weight bear down on them as a pair of arms hung around their shoulders. The two groaned as the she devil returned with a vengeance, grinning like a mad cat. But before Mei could say a thing, Aizawa reigned in everyone's attention.

"We'll be moving onto the next event. Up on the screen is a roulette of the many sane and not so sane challenges our students will be put through. What's this year's pick? Well, I'm hoping for something that won't devolve into a mind numbing chaotic mess."

A round of laughter filled the air as the screen began flickering through the names of the events. Eri's breathing stilled as she focused her eyes on the screen alone, ignoring Mei who was still on her shoulders. The words flickered and flickered, slowing down to a crawl. And with each tick, the tension only rose in the stadium.

Free-For-All…

VIP Defense…

See/Hear/Say No Evil…

The roulette stopped and it was firmly on a rather curious event, King of the Hill. Eri raised an eyebrow to the name, never seeing UA done it before and wonders what their version will be like. The screen then changed to a graphic of a three groups, a team of four, a team of three, and a team of two. And these teams were next to a generic tower shape.

"Here's how UA's King of the Hill works. The students here will split into teams consisting of four, three, or two people. You are free to choose who to include on your team. And your goal is to collect as many points as possible before time runs out. You do this by standing at one of many platforms, with their value increasing as you go up, while wearing these." Aizawa explained as the tower graphic showed an example of points. The man proceeded to pull out a round badge with no obvious features. He then tapped the thing and it began glowing red.

"Don't lose these as they are the things that'll collect points. They're color coded so that everyone knows who is on what team. Just select the color you all agree on and press your thumb against the back of it. And then just place them anywhere on your body." Aizawa said, demonstrating the device. After a moment, the monitor began showing a red colored banner with the man's name and portrait on it. Aizawa then stuck the badge on his chest and it stayed there.

"Simple enough. But this is where it gets complicated, so pay attention. Before we start the event, you and your team can decide whether or not to equip someone with more than one badge. This will allow the person in question to reap up to four times the points from a platform. However, since each team will only get four, no other member will be able to add to the team total." He explained, removing the badge off his chest.

The graphic on the monitor showed the many configurations to the badge placements and what happens when this was done. Eri nodded, the whole thing was fairly balanced. Should you play it safe and equip it on everyone for points regardless of height? Or gamble on your strongest member to make it to the top?

Team composition was also essential. Someone with good mobility will easily get to the higher platforms. While someone with great combat prowess can defend their location without issue. It didn't seem like a team game, but as Eri thought about it, UA's King of the Hill requires a person to think about their teammate's capabilities.

"Alright, we'll be handing out your badges. So take this moment to consider which team you want to be part of." Aizawa said, stadium staff entering the field with boxes.

Eri then saw everyone around her began walking around, looking to join a team. Many clustered around those who placed highest like Yusaku and Akko. Others were most likely teaming up with their friends or classmates. And as they all began clustering together, the girl began thinking about who her teammates should be.

"Hey girl, you want to team up with me?"

Oh right, Mei was still hanging off her shoulders. But before Eri outright rejected the offer, she gave a thought about her classmate's abilities. She was primarily a melee fighter but was stupidly agile and unusually tough. While her personality was something to be left desired, you can rely on Mei as a fighter. So with a heavy sigh, Eri accepted.

"Sure, why not, I'd rather have you be trouble to others than trouble to me."

"Yes, score one for Kazuku. How about you Mr. Moist, want to turn this into a threesome?" Mei asked, turning to Kouta, who was also still holding up the girl. While a blush appeared on his face, he turned away with a sad frown.

"A-As 'great' as your offer sounds, I'm going to say no. To be honest, I wanted to use this festival as a chance to face Eri as a rival. And I wanted to see how much I've grown since I first met her." Kouta said. For Eri, she too felt her heart sink to that declaration… But ultimately, the girl knew that feeling too and wanted to respond to it in kind. She too wants to show him how far she has come.

"If that's what you want to do Kouta, I won't stop you. But you should know that I'll do the same, I won't go down without a fight." Eri said with a strong smile. Kouta nodded, his eyes burning much more brightly than before. He then removed Mei's arm from his shoulders and began walking towards Yuasku, who in turn accepted him into his ranks.

"So… Should I be worried about the inevitable domestic abuse?" Mei asked. Eri just sighed and pushed Mei away, having enough of her for now. She was about to walk off to find more team members when Akko grabbed her and Mei.

"Can I be part of your team!? These guys won't leave me alone!"

Looking behind the witch, Eri paled as she saw the horde of people who have yet to complete their team. And judging by how well Akko did in the obstacle race, everyone wants a piece of her. She turned back to her friend and shouted out her response. "Of course! We'll be happy to have you!"

"And unless you're still single, get your ass out of here!" Mei shouted. This caused those with more than two people to leave, disappointed that they could get someone strong. Though there were still more than a few individuals looking to join the team. Now they had to choose someone from this pile since there was technically still a space available on their team.

"Hey Eri, can I join your team?" Rei asked, approaching the three.

"Why of course you can! You hear that! We've just got our fourth member!" Mei said loudly, intent as blunt and obvious as Stonehenge. The rest of the group left with a groan, though there was one really short person left. It was Shintou Niji.

"You. Are you on team?" He asked, pointing at her with one of his arm clubs.

"I'm sorry, but I already have a full team." Eri replied, gesturing to her members. The guy looked at each of them, articulating his bulbous eyes for greater detail. When he got to Mei, Eri noticed that his shell turned slightly redder.

"Are you okay?" She asked, sweat forming on her brow.

"You 1A?" Niji asked quickly.

"Yeah?"

He didn't have too many facial features that Eri could recognize, but she could see his face getting heavy. As though what he heard was disappointing. He just bowed again before running off to find his teammates. Now that just left all the girls but Mei in confusion.

"What was that about?" Akko asked.

"Oh, that's a guy from 1B. When our samurai and I met him, he has this weird grudge against our class. He screamed 'must smash for Sensei' or something like that." Mei explained. Eri groaned to that, remembering who that sounded like. Growing up, the guy would do nothing but act all sorts of condescending towards her surrogate family. And over the years, it didn't get any better.

So Niji must've been quite upset to find that his savior was part of the accursed 1A… Today was getting all sorts of weird.

Still, once Eri and her team received their badges and registered themselves, they were now one unit. On the monitor, their four portraits were displayed beneath a red colored banner with the number 5. As for their badge placement, Rei thought it was best to give her badge to Mei. This was mostly because her body will be useless while her Quirk was active. Therefore, if they wanted points from her, the team needed to lug dead weight around.

And that will only slow them down in this race for points.

"Now that you have your teams and have equipped your badges, now I'm going to move onto some nuances. I didn't tell you these before as it'll affect your judgment in choosing teammates, so listen close. Up on screen are your teammates, your team color, and a number. This number will be the amount of points your team start with and it's based on your place in the last event." Aizawa explained.

Ah, so that's what that was. And looking at the fourteen team's current ranking, the placement of Eri's team made sense. While Akko and Mei placed rather high in the obstacle race, she and Rei placed near the bottom with the latter being placed last. And looking up the list, she saw Kouta's team was five spaces higher than hers. So already, she was losing to Kouta.

"However, this also affects your starting positions on the tower. The greater your starting score is the lower on the tower you start. This gives those lower placed teams a fighting chance but doesn't make it impossible for higher placed teams to win." Aizawa explained before walking off. This left more than a few people confused, was he not going to explain where this event's going to take place. The scraggly teacher, once he was close to one of the field's exit, he looked back with a sly smile.

"Oh yeah, watch your step, it's going to be a rough ride."

Before anyone could ask, the ground began shaking violently. Eri had to lower and widen her stance to prevent herself from falling over. And taking a moment to look around, she could see the other teams doing the same with varying degrees of success. And that's when she felt it, the ground beneath them rising up.

"Oh you got to be shitting me!" Mei shouted before falling flat on her face. Eri just continued to focus on staying on her feet but eventually had to kneel for more balance. And looking to the crowd, she can already tell that they've went up by at least four stories. She held her ground with her team as the structure continued to shift and grow.

Once the shaking stopped, red team got back onto their feet to get their bearings. Their eyes turned to Rei and with a nod, she fell unconscious. From there, Akko casted a spell that only allowed the team to see their spectral friend. Now, they were ready to get face this strange challenge.

"Okay… We're only a third of the way up the tower while being about five stories up." Rei said, her ghostly form floating over the edge of the platform they're all on. Eri could feel the sweat rolling down the back of her head, once more asking the question…

"Just how much money does UA have?"

Still, she can feel her heart beating faster and faster, she wanted to climb to the peak and touch the sky. And looking at her teammates, Eri can see that they too wanted to experience that view. Akko raised her wand and made a wide grin, brows furrowed with focus. Mei gave her fighting sticks a twirl and began to lazily stretch her body. And Rei was already scouting out their immediate surroundings.

Eri nodded to them and reloaded her gun with a fresh magazine. They were determined to become this event's Queens of the Hill.

* * *

 **And that has been chapter 21.**

 **Important news everyone, I'm not doing the next update two weeks from now. Instead, I'm pushing it to four weeks. After a few conversations with my Uncle, I'm going to take some time to get my real life nonsense together. After all, I can't make a living off of Fan Fiction.**

 **"You could always start a or something."**

 **Yeah, but I have no services to supply. Anyway, if you have any serious questions or concerns, I'll answer them as soon as I can for those who have an account and in the next update for those who do not. Your feedback is appreciated.**

 **"Critiques makes stories taste good. So pepper this mofo til he sneezes!"**

 **Please do that, otherwise I can't improve on anything in future chapters. Especially since I'm afraid that I might lose my edge during my journey into responsibility. But other than that, I have no other news to tell. So with that said...**

 **Until Next Time. T1.**


	25. V02: How to be a Villainous Mastermind

**I only own my OCs, everything else belongs to their respective creators.** **Warning, may contain Out of Character moments.**

* * *

"And it has begun! Who will be the one to come out victorious in this climb to the top!?" Present Mic screamed, forcing one of the viewers to lower the volume for a moment.

"Denouement, please turn that back up, I don't want to miss the commentary."

"Of course Sir… But if I may ask, why are we watching this in the dark?" Denouement asked. Currently, both Dastardly D and his muscular protector were sitting in a dark office. The only illumination present was the large flat screen TV at one corner of the room. And unfortunately, the dapper Villain was eagerly sitting a little too close for his age.

Not to mention what he was doing whilst watching this event.

"It's so that I can easily pick out which Heroes are currently in the crowd. All the excess light will just distract me."

"And that leads to another question… How can you make out someone from just these shots? I know camera fidelity and screen resolution has greatly improved these past few decades, but that shouldn't be enough for you to do this. Wouldn't it be more efficient to get Lucas to retrieve the event's Hero attendance?" Denouement asked, approaching his leader. He had to carefully walk around the gurney that was next to Dastardly D, since even a bump would set back that individual's progress.

"Admittedly, yes… But this is much more entertaining, like looking at one of those old Where's Waldo books. Look! There's Chargebolt and Anima! And over there, that's Sugarman and Queen pH!" Dastardly D shouted, pointing at the screen with his foot as both his hands were occupied. Denouement looked back at the screen, noting the general area he was pointing to.

And surprisingly, for the few seconds that the camera remained on the festival's audience, to let TV viewers see the live reactions, he saw those Heroes in question. He raised an eyebrow, how was it that he was able to pick out those specific Heroes out of a sea of multi colored splotches?

Dastardly D smiled at his loyal minion's confusion and went back to watching the Sports Festival. This caused Denouement to turn his attention to it as well.

Currently they showed Midoriya Eri and her team fighting for control over a platform. Each blow she threw out was pragmatic, striking her opponent's legs from the sides to disrupt their balance. Then there was the girl Kazuku Mei, who moved around multiple opponents like a dancer exchanging partners without losing rhythm.

The camera soon cut to the top platform where three students were contesting for dominance. One was a black haired girl who seemingly summons weapons out of thin air. Another was a short, mantis shrimp looking fellow whose punches coming out with absurd speed. And the last was Fujiki Yusaku, his person surrounded by two people dressed in sci-fi themed clothes and two robots.

"This time, I saw Cellophane, Battle Fist, Vantablack, and Grape Shot. If you know what you're looking for, this game becomes very easy." His leader said just as the screen changed views. Denouement furrowed his brows, his lips sunk to a shallow scowl. He just had to ask…

"Sir, please explain to me how you're able to pick out those Heroes? That is unless you're playing a terrible trick on me."

"Oh no, this is no deception my dear Denouement. What I'm doing has a basis in Hero costume design. Tell me, when you look at a Hero's costume, what is the first thing that catches your eyes?"

"The questionable degree of sex appeal?" He could never quite understand why some Heroes, both men and women, around the world wear what amounts to fetish wear. And despite laws being made to improve costume modesty, certain Heroes were able bypass it because a more modest costume would cause start causing problems for their Quirks.

The same thing could be said about certain Villains, who run around assaulting people's eyes with indecency. Except for them, any modesty laws mean absolutely nothing. The Havas Collection of India was a particularly bad offender of this. And even now, he wasn't sure if that was a Villain group or a brothel.

"Oh you dirty delinquent, what a devious thought to devise!" Dastardly D said with a laugh.

"But if you must know why Heroes choose to wear such tantalizing outfits, one must understand how the human form fits into Humanity's various cultures. In the distant past before the year of our Lord, Humans look to the symbols that their body represents. This leads to the birth of Deities who had certain features exaggerated, like fertility Goddesses with their impossible hourglass figures. By sculpting our Gods with enhanced or idealized characteristics, we give them the power to rule over us." He continued, his eyes still glued to the TV.

Denouement gave a low hum to this as he chose to sit down, knowing there was more to this lecture. Certainly, Humans did give Pagan Deities the perfect image because of their almighty, unattainable nature… But what does that have to do with Heroes? They're no Gods… Still, he needed to be patient and pay attention. His eccentric leader might actually have an interesting point.

"Thor for example, he's often depicted to have fiery red hair and beard as well as fierce eyes. With his mighty hammer Mjolnir and a courageous heart, he would go to help those who couldn't protect themselves. Thor represented what the ideal warrior was in Nordic culture, strong and Heroic. So when applying this to Hero costumes, it's about letting others know what it is they symbolize. As well as how perfectly they embody that, as presumptuous as that sounds."

"I see, that makes sense… But could you provide me some examples to further my understanding? Like Midnight?" Denouement asked. He could see how certain Heroes' costumes had symbolic meaning behind them… But he was still uncertain about the meaning behind certain Heroes, like the one's he mentioned. Dastardly D let out a chuckle and turned his attention away from the action on the TV.

"Oh my dear friend, you couldn't have picked an easier example. Midnight's costume is practically a dominatrix outfit and it's a display her of will, power, and pride. While she answers to a figure of authority, she refuses to bend to anyone else below that level. And with such a mentality, she'll approach each battle with a fixed idea of who's the Dom and Sub. So using a whip and her Quirk, Midnight can halt an enemy's momentum, toy with them she pleases, and utterly humiliates them. Opponents then break from the shame, their fighting strength falters, they fall into her paces, and finally... They become nothing more than a piece of meat being lead around like cattle."

His leader's voice became darker and more sinister with that final statement. Denouement felt the cold wind envelop him as his imagination conjured Midnight. Her alluring sultry form doing nothing to mitigate the sadistic glee that emanated from her face. He doesn't know how his leader does it, but he can give any Hero an unsettling aura.

Dastardly D returned to his normal cheerful expression and turned back to the TV, his eyebrows raised. "There! I just saw Mt. Lady and Kamui Woods!"

"Once more sir, what is it that allows you to see them through this mess?" Denouement asked, barely catching a glimpse of the two Heroes.

"Ah yes, we were on that subject. What I was referring to was their costume's color. Any Hero can be identified if one familiarizes themselves with their primary colors. Even when you strip everything but those colors, you can still recognize who they are. That is how I'm able to pick the Heroes out of the crowd despite there being so many so close together. Like now for instance, I just spotted Japan's Bane of Evil." Dastardly D explained, noticing a cluster of gun metal grey, rust orange, and hunter green.

"And when combined with the shape and theme of the costume… Each Hero's identity is completely unique from one another, like National Flags." Denouement said, his eyebrows slowly rising with realization. So that's how his leader was doing it, to identify a Hero with so little visual information. It was still an intensive endeavor, to memorize that many colors and designs. But if one can memorize the many Flags of the World, it's possible to memorize the costumes of Heroes.

"Now you're getting it! A Hero's costume is a flag, each bearing different kinds of meaning upon its shoulders. And though some may be similar, there are enough differences between them to be given their own names. Do you remember Super Scope and Menacer? Or Deep Sea and Triton? They were similar yet different."

"As is Red Riot and Real Steel." Denouement said with a smirk.

"Precisely my dear Watson. Now, let's keep combing through this collection of LED lights and make sure our project goes off without a hitch. We're down to the wire after all. How's our Demolition Depot doing on developing those devices we demanded?" Dastardly D said, removing his hands from his subjects' faces. And as the dapper Villain went to stretch, the door opened and Doctor Brandt step in with a person in a white coat.

"You're finished? Good, we'll begin finalizing these Chimeras for our 'grand opening'. Oh, and Stal has completed the equipment you needed for the promotional event. He's currently resting until you assign him another task." The Doctor said as the person in the white coat began carting out one of the subjects.

"Then I'll let Depot cool his forge for a while. In fact, Denouement, please inform the rest of the Disastrous Dozen to take a break from their duties. I need them in peak condition for the hour of reckoning. That includes you dear friend." Dastardly D said before pointing his muscular minion. Denouement gave a bow and he disappeared from sight. He then turned to the Doctor and gestured towards the catatonic Chimera still in the room.

"Have Digit come to me with a list of every D4 to D6 we have that's ready to deploy. Once I've finished my research here, I'll organize the squads we'll be bringing with us."

"And you didn't ask Denouement to do this before he left because…?" The Doctor asked, his hands gesturing towards the empty space where the man in question once stood. Dastardly D just gave a shrug and went back watching the TV, pulling a memo pad and pen out of his pocket. Doctor Brandt shook his head and began carting out the other subject, leaving his leader to his devices.

And as the dapper Villain watched the Sports Festival for Heroes, he took note of one specific student that tickled his curiosity. Kazuku Mei playfully spring boarded off one student and kicked another over a ledge. She then proceeded to twist her body and move her limbs to avoid oncoming attacks, all of them missing. The girl stuck her tongue at them before she leapt away as her team came in to support her.

It was exhilarating, watching that girl fight… But her appearance left an itch in his brain that left Dastardly D scratching.

"Kazuku Mei… Where have I seen you before?"

* * *

 **And that has been chapter two starring the ever dashing Dastardly D and his disciple of danger Denouement! What did you think? Did things make sense here?  
**

 **"Not that it would matter since you're going to explain anyway."**

 **Shush Iris. A big part of a Hero or Villain's identity is in what they wear, clothes make the man after all. So when I say you could pick out someone just from their colors alone, I'm not lying. Someone on reddit even proved this in a post titled "BNHA Character Design Study" in which the poster had a small group of rectangles. These rectangles only had three colors, but it was enough for one to identify who it was. And the whole subject of costumes is fascinating when you deeply think about it, like what is the thought process behind its creation and the meaning of it in relation to its wearer.**

 **"Ah yes, symbolism, the most pretentious thing out there..."**

 **Indeed, but on to my other thoughts. As I'm currently setting up to become a functioning adult, I will be modifying my update schedule for all my stories. Until I get everything settled, I will only be updating once every month. I apologize for any distress I may cause, this hurts me just as much.**

 **So with that said,** **I hope you'll be around to celebrate the New Year with me.**

 **Happy Holidays and...**

 **Until Next Time. T1.**


	26. Chapter 22: Downtime

**I only own my OCs, everything else belongs to their respective creators.** **Warning, may contain Out of Character moments.**

* * *

"Thirty seconds left! Go for broke or lose your chance at our Festival's final event." Present Mic announced.

Eri dodged the geyser of water that came her way, countering with a burst of shots from her gun. Her opponent simply let out a stream of water to the side, causing him to quickly side step the attack. He then charged forward at the girl, fists readied as he stepped into Eri's personal space. But while he threw the first punch, she evaded it due to the relatively sloppy form of her attacker. With a quick shove followed by a kick to the stomach, Eri created some distance.

She did, however, hold off from shooting her staggered opponent.

"Come on Kouta, you know I'm better than you at a fist fight. Throwing in the towel?" Eri asked with a slight smirk.

"What about you? You could've used this time to shoot me instead of lecturing me." Kouta retorted, the same smirk appearing on his face.

"You got me there. But there's no point in wasting anymore ammo when–"

"TIME'S UP! Stop right there!" Present Mic shouted. All around them, the sounds of battle halted as only the sounds of cheering could be heard. Both Eri and Kouta relaxed, the tension between them dispersing into nothingness.

"I know I said I won't hold back… But I really don't like it when we go at each other like this…" Kouta said, taking in a few deep breaths.

"Same… But you've gotten really strong Kouta, that water pressure's no joke…" Eri said with a nod.

"You too… With your reflexes, I was lucky to even get in some hits…"

Eri let out a tired giggle before she walked over to her friend and patted him on the back. The two felt the ground beneath them rumble as the walls and floor began shifting again. This time however, they noticed that they were going down. So sticking close together, Eri and Kouta waited as they and the other students were lowered back onto terra firma.

The tower took only ten minutes to fully submerge into the ground, leaving the students in a flat field once more. And as Eri looked around, she took note on how the student clusters were arranged. They were all in a spiral, marking down who was where when the event ended. It was honestly a rather clear indicator of where everyone's limits laid, though that would be bold of Eri to assume.

And that was because this is but one scenario. If placed in another, things would most definitely turn out differently.

Eri kept that thought in mind as she turned to the students who were at the center. There was Yusaku and Mei, with the former rubbing his temples and the latter looking tired for once. With them was Niji from 1B, a foreign, possibly European, girl with long black hair, and… An arm on the ground?

"Kouta… Am I seeing things?" Eri asked, her skin turning paler than usual. The boy followed her gaze and similarly lost his skin tone upon making eye contact with it. Kouta shook his head as his eyes continued to focus on it. Others began taking notice of it too, causing many to distance themselves away from the lost limb. And this in turn caused the audience to become concerned, murmurs spreading through the stands like a bush fire.

Then something broke through the noise, the voice of an exhausted teacher.

"Egbert! Retrieve your arm! The event is over!" Aizawa shouted. It was here that the arm began emitting blue smoke, slowly rising off the ground. The limb then flew into the group of students, whom all scrambled away from it, and hit one of them in the shoulder. The blue smoke proceeded to disappear as the person gave an apologetic wave to just about everyone.

"Sorry about that! I forgot I took it off!" He shouted, his Japanese sounding a bit rough. Eri hummed at the sight of the young man in glasses laughing off his somewhat macabre display. She then had her eyes wander to that black haired girl who stood patiently as the uproar died down. While foreigners did attend UA in the past, they were usually of Japanese descent. But here, standing in this stadium, was a Caucasian prankster and a gloomy European.

Truly, she and Kouta came to UA at an interesting time.

Now that the crowd has settled, Aizawa let out a cough that drew in everyone's attention. Above him was the score board, the screen displaying nothing to build anticipation for the results. "Now that that's been dealt with… Let's get to the one thing you've all been waiting for, the tournament lineup. First place goes to Green Team's Shintou Niji, Mishigane Zero, and Kaigara Kaji!"

The crowd applauded as the team raised an arm in victory. Though in Niji's case, he was just screaming at the top of his lungs. And as his teammates began to calm him down, Aizawa continued with the ranking call. "In second, we have Red Team's Kagari Atsuko, Kazuku Mei, Midoriya Eri, and Osoroshi Rei."

Eri let out a sigh as the crowd roared around them, every muscle in her body relaxing. Her team made it, she made it. But now comes the hard part, battling the best fighters this festival has to offer in a one on one. Would she have enough ammo to get her through all the battles? Would she even be strong enough to face whoever her opponent was?

The girl would have to wait and see.

"In third place, we have Blue Team's Fujiki Yusaku, Izumi Kouta, Masaki Takeo, and Fukutsu Taki."

Eri smiled as the crowd cheered once more, of course he made it. She turned to him and found that he was a little sheepish at the attention he was getting. Still, Eri could see the pride dwelling within his eyes and felt her own determination burning brighter. Kouta noticed how his friend was looking at him and gave her a nod, conveying his thoughts to her.

"Let's do our best, no matter who we fight."

"In fourth place, we have Yellow Team's Seirishokuensui Kichi, Shanoa, and Gin Haruka." Aizawa continued. Another cheer, but only one person on that team was really enjoying the applause. The grey skinned girl was waving back at the crowd while the foreign girl didn't really care about the attention. Then there was the rather rotund fellow with them, who seemed to be shrinking as he clutched at a salt shaker more tightly. It was a bit disheartening to see someone show such an adverse reaction to attention.

However, Eri knew that this person was strong if he made it to this point despite his fears.

Then another though hit her. Right now, there were 14 people who can participate in the third event and there were only two more open spaces. Would the next team have to choose which members would move on? While that wasn't too farfetched since she saw that occur in previous Festivals… It must be quite frustrating to make it this far but get cut due to a full roster.

"Lastly, and as luck would have it, we have Purple Team's John Egbert and Engo Jin filling in our last two openings. With that, we have our sixteen participants for our tournament." Aizawa said, the scoreboard behind him listing the last two students.

Though with that, there was a bit of confusion in the air. Looking at the two students who made it through, there was conversations going around that they were closer to the bottom. And as Eri listened, she gathered that the two weren't really trying to break through to the upper levels to obtain more points. And how was it that this team of two got enough points to be amidst the top five?

All those questions were answered and then some when that John Egbert raised the arm he reattached earlier in triumph. Along the arm were three of the colored badges that each team had on their person. Then it came to everyone who saw it. The severed arm, it was the one gathering points for his team. And due to all the action and chaos going on, no one noticed until the event ended. So what was thought to be a macabre prank was actually a clever tactic to get ahead of all the other participants.

Eri stared at John Egbert with eyebrows raised, he was no ordinary trickster.

"Well shit, looks like we got a real joker to fight." Mei commented as she appeared between Kouta and Eri, hanging off their shoulders. The one horned girl let out a hum as she already began thinking about what this trickster had in store. Certainly whatever he could do, the blue smoke he emitted to retrieve his arm was part of it. She then felt Kouta shrug through Mei and turned her attention to him.

"He'll definitely be a pain to fight… But let's be honest, the real joke around here is you." He said, a smirk forming on his face.

Eri let out a snort and had to restrain any more laughter from leaving her body. The last thing she expected out of her friend was a point blank insult. Then again, this was Mei they were dealing with, so it was definitely worth it. The special eyed girl just stared at Kouta before her lips were slowly pulled into a mischievous grin.

"You still upset about the train sighting?"

Both the cheer that Eri and Kouta once had disappeared and their cheeks began to turn pink. The two simultaneously took a step in opposite directions, causing their classmate between them to fall flat on her face. And as the girl got up, Aizawa reigned in the attention of everyone once more. It's time to get this show moving along.

"Now, before we leave for the one hour break, we'll be announcing the tournament bracket. Take this moment to study who you'll be facing and ready yourself, there will be no second chances if you lose." Aizawa said as the screen behind him changed. Eri studied the match ups and felt a cold sweat build on her skin. Not because she was afraid for herself, but for Kouta.

Midoriya Eri vs. John Egbert

Osoroshi Rei vs. Mishigane Zero

Shintou Niji vs. Izumi Kouta

Fukutsu Taki vs. Engo Jin

Kagari Atsuko vs. Fujiki Yusaku

Kaigara Kaji vs. Seirishokuensui Kichi

Masaki Takeo vs. Shanoa

Kazuku Mei vs. Gin Haruka

The one horned girl swallowed the lump in her throat as her eyes slowly went to Niji. The mantis shrimp eyes twitched around for a while before his head tilted to the side, he was clearly confused. But despite that, Eri couldn't shake the image of him smashing through those robots during the obstacle race. With just his fists alone, Niji effortlessly crushed the wall meant to slow everyone down. If that is what he could do to metal…

What could he do to flesh and bone?

"Eri? Are you okay?"

The girl was brought back to reality, Kouta's hand upon her shoulder. Looking over, Eri could see how wide his eyes and how still his breath was. It took her a moment to recuperate, but she shook off the unease latched to her chest. The match was still some time away, so why worry about the outcome now? And besides, Kouta knows how to handle against melee fighters thanks to Tiger.

Eri just has to keep faith. He wouldn't lose after making it this far.

"Sorry, I was wondering what Deku nii-san would say right now." Eri lied. Well, that wasn't a complete lie. Her former caretaker was both doting and strict, acting appropriately depending on what she did. But when she accomplished something great, Deku would jump with joy and, almost, embed himself into the ceiling.

"Bet you he'd be crying his eyes out." Kouta said with a chuckle. And that would be the other reaction he would display.

With the roll of her eyes, Eri began observing her surroundings again and saw how the students were leaving. Looks like she missed whatever closing words Aizawa had for them. But, knowing him, it would probably be something along the lines of 'don't rest easy'. So with that, Eri and Kouta began leaving with Mei hot on their heels. They've only reached one of many entranceways before their classmate began pestering them again.

"Now that we've made it to the big stage, you two got any pro strats to shill out?" Mei asked. She tried to hang off Eri and Kouta's shoulders again but the two sidestepped her. While she didn't fall down like before, it left the special eyed girl stumbling. They did, however, answer her.

"What are we, the Support Department?" Kouta replied.

"Yeah, I'm not that eager to put myself out there. Just being there is usually enough to attract attention." Eri said, nodding her head. Besides, seeing how Hatsume Mei alienated several with her aggressive marketing tactics, the one horned girl was going to avoid doing the same.

"Boo, you guys are no fun. I'm going to hunt the others, see what their awesome plans for the tournament are." Kazuku Mei replied with a pout.

"Yeah, go be a bother to someone else." Kouta said. A breath of relief left him, finally glad that their class devil was finally going to leave them alone.

"Oh I will. But rest assured, I'll be back for you both."

"Great… I'm looking forward to that…" Eri groaned, her shoulders slumping. Mei just snickered and ran off with a wave, disappearing around a corner. Eri and Kouta looked at each other and shrugged, seeing that there was nothing they could do about Mei. So with that, the two continued their walk towards the 1A locker room to put away their equipment. It was starting to become heavy and there was no use for it now.

This was their period of rest. And they're going to enjoy every second of it.

* * *

 **And that has been Chapter 22! With our contestants chosen, we'll be going into the tournament after a not so brief intermission.**

 **"It's about three chapters including this one. But it'll be another three months, so better be hyped."**

 **You know, that's the exact method to get people un-hyped. But I supposed that's the truth given my current update schedule. Any how, are you folks having a good New Year so far? Mine's going alright, except for the fact that I failed to have a chapter ready for one of my other stories.**

 **"This lazy butt was too busy getting mauled by zombies to do any writing. Or any of the other shit he was meant to do."**

 **Guilty as charged. But now, I'm getting my focus back. It won't be enough to go back to my bi-weekly schedule, but I'm motivated to tackle my plate of responsibilities. So wish me luck.**

 **"Good luck, you're going to need it."**

 **Thanks for the vote of confidence. But that is all I have for you this update. Next time, we'll bear witness to the many shenanigans of our crew during halftime.**

 **"Warning, your enjoyment will have varying mileages."**

 **So with that said...**

 **Until Next Time. T1.**


	27. Chapter 23: Halftime Horse-around Pt1

**I only own my OCs, everything else belongs to their respective creators.** **Warning, may contain Out of Character moments.**

* * *

"You know… Eating something that's not Ryo's cooking makes you appreciate it more." Eri said as she and Kouta left the cafeteria.

"You know what they say, sometimes more is less." Kouta replied with a shrug. The two continued to walk down hall, passing and being passed by other students. Eri took a moment to take in the calm that was in the air. After the madness that was the first half of the Sports Festival, it was a good feeling to take in. And something she'll never get tired of.

"I don't know, having more of this peace time doesn't hurt." Eri disagreed while flashing a lazy smile.

"That's why I said sometimes. There are some things you could never have too much of." Kouta nodded as he looked at Eri. Their eyes met and for the first time in a long while, they just kept staring at one another. Without a word between them, without stopping their stride, they maintained eye contact. And as the seconds progressed, their faces slowly started to heat up.

"S-SO! What do you want to do now?" Kouta blurted out as he looked away. Eri looked away as well as her vision bounced around for something to cool her head. But the spinning and the blushing stopped when her attention caught something.

Three officers in black riot armor were standing around as students were going around them. And judging by the long gun case one of them was carrying, avoiding them would be wise. However, the moment Eri saw the name printed on one of their backs, she quickly ran to them. Kouta quickly followed, knowing exactly who his friend was currently charging.

"Mirio Nii-san!" She yelled as she weaved around a several students. The person at the center of the three quickly turned around, a wide grin forming on his face. He quickly caught Eri, who leapt at him, and hugged her tightly, even doing a little twirl in his excitement.

"Eri! How's my little Unicorn doing? The Festival isn't too intense for you?" He asked as he set the girl down. She shook her head but still let out a weary sigh. Kouta caught up and, having heard the question, answered for her.

"She was ready for the whole thing. But the whole 'fighting your friends at full strength but try not to hurt them too badly' was pretty exhausting."

"What he said." Eri nodded as she gestured to him.

"Well if that's the case, don't worry too much about it. Friendships are never put down by a single scrap or two. I mean, you and Kouta are still on good ground right?" Mirio replied as he scratched at his helmet strap.

"Enough for other people to think we're dating if that's what you're asking." Kouta said as he scratched at his neck.

"… You mean you still aren't?" Mirio asked, his expression remaining the same. The two's face radiated heat as their eyes contracted, mouths agape. Neither Kouta or Eri could form coherent sentences. Instead, they were gasping or gagging on words still stuck in their throats. The officer to the left of Mirio, a woman whose nameplate read 'Shunkoku', giggled before bumping him with her elbow.

"Come on, don't tease the little ones, High School's rough enough as it is."

"You know I like to play around. Wait, hold on! I didn't introduce you kids to these guys yet!" Mirio said before the thought hit him.

"And now he notices. It's hard to believe you were going to be the next All Might with that airhead of yours." The officer carrying the gun case commented. Looking at his nameplate, it read 'Youjin', and he had gaze that could punch through concrete and steel. Mirio just laughed at smacked him in the back, causing the man to let out a bored 'ow'.

"Well, you should've seen my grades when I still attended school. Anyhow, Eri, Kouta, meet two of my SCRU crewmates. This one's Shunkoku Hana." Mirio replied before turning back to the kids. He then gestured to the woman to his left. She smiled and gave a wave to the two of them.

Mirio then gestured to the man on his right, who began peeling open… An ear of corn? "And this sharp eyed weirdo is Youjinbu Iori."

"Hey." He greeted before he began gnawing at the vegetable in his hand. And judging by the noise he emitted while doing so, Eri concluded that it was still raw. She and Kouta looked at each other, eyebrows raised before turning back to the three. But despite seeing their eyes begging for an explanation, all the two go was a shrug.

"Yeah, we don't know. The SCRU crew is full of things we can't explain." Hana replied, a warbled grin on her face.

"I'm hungry, it's noon, so I eat. Nothing complicated about any of that. And I'm pretty sure you two are about as hungry as I am." Iori said, gesturing to his two teammates. Before either of them could say anything, their stomachs growled as though it hasn't been feed in a week. Mirio looked down towards his gut as Hana tried to pull her helmet over her face. Kouta's lips formed a smirk while Eri tried to hide her laughter, unable to contain their amusement.

"Yeah, I guess I'm running on empty. Well, I guess we'll stop bothering you while we hunt for some food. Both of you are definitely going to need the rest for the tournament." Mirio replied as he looked back at Kouta and Eri. The young girl's eyes seemingly grew several times larger as a small frown was on her face.

"I… I think she wants to go with you. I mean, when was the last time you two talked face to face? Kouta said as he stared at Eri's face. The boy knew Mirio had a soft spot for the girl and he knew Eri could take advantage of it. Eri did it before when she was younger. And now history repeats itself.

But unlike before, the young officer was able to resist the girl's persuasion. At least, Hana pushed Mirio to Eri and Kouta's side. And upon looking back at his teammate, she let out a coy smile.

"Don't look at me like that, you keep going on about how you should visit your little sister. So save us the aspirin and spend some time with her. Meanwhile, I'll take this corn munching cow of ours to the billion concession stands outside. Sounds good?" The woman said as she picked up Iori over her head. What's stranger was that the man didn't react and was still eating his ear of corn. In fact, his entire body was still as though he was made of cardboard. Even his gun case wasn't swaying despite the strap having a few centimeters of slack.

And before Mirio could answer her, Hana ran off whilst Iori still had no reaction. Eri and Kouta could only watch as students sidestepped the officers before they disappeared from sight. The two looked at each other again before turning to Mirio, eyes narrowed with several questions. But main one was a simple…

"What!?"

"Yeah, I don't know how she does that. Her Quirk is way different. Anyway, now that I'm on break, let's find somewhere to sit and something to eat. I'm sure you two have plenty of stories to tell." Mirio laughed as he took off his helmet.

"I can come along? I thought this was more of a family thing." Kouta replied.

"Of course you can, why would I leave you out of it? You're practically part of the family." Eri replied as she turned to Kouta, brows slightly angled.

"Yeah, it's kind of like how a couple could eat at either of their parents' houses and it would feel completely natural." Mirio commented as he rubbed his chin.

"Exactly!"

Silence passed between the three for several seconds. At first, it was Kouta, whose head began to emit steam like a kettle. Then it was Eri, whose face looked no different from her eyes. And finally came Mirio, who was flashing his usual smile. But the way they saw it, it was no different from the smile of their class she-devil.

"Family."

"NII SAN! WHY!?" Eri screamed as Kouta went catatonic.

"Sorry, but you two make it way too easy. Anyway, let's see if there is anyone selling the king of junk food. I'm in the mood for a good frank." Mirio chuckled. Eri narrowed her eyes at her brother, her frown becoming distinctly sharp. But as the seconds passed, the girl's expression softened before finally giving in. Mirio was a jokester at heart, messing around with the best of intentions. So taking his hand and Kouta's she began leading them out.

…

"So, how are your regular classes going? I remember them being very tough and barely passing." Mirio said as he took a bite out of hot dog. Currently the trio was sitting outside on a bench, taking in the warmth of the midday Spring sun. All around them was groups of students and guests, wandering around to pass the time. At least, until the more mundane Festival events begin.

But Eri allowed those background noises fade as she focused on her brother. And remembering how the young man struggled with his academics made her laugh. Though once she dropped the humor, Eri could only answer with a tired sigh.

"All our teachers are constantly challenging us. I mean, Snipe Sensei gave us pretty hard questions on the last quiz. Honestly, I'm surprised I even got a decent grade." She said.

"I blame Yusaku for the difficulty curve. Seriously, every time he solves Snipe's challenge problems things get a little harder for the rest of us." Kouta replied. Mirio raised an eyebrow to him before turning around. He stared at the food truck that wasn't too far away, focusing on one of the servers there. He then faced Eri and Kouta again, pointing his hot dog at the person.

"Isn't he the guy you're talking about?"

"Yeah, that's him. There's a good person behind the calculating stares and tone dead voice. But Yusaku's really distant to everyone and hard to approach. I mean, he doesn't even try to take part in our class' bonding sessions and only listens in on us." Eri replied as she rested her cheeks on her hands.

"I'm sure he's got a good reason. I mean, Tamaki was just a nervous wreck before me and Nejire made a man out of him. Besides, if the guy still hangs around, he wants to be part of the fun but can't because of some God given mission." Mirio explained. Eri hummed to that as she reflected on her other, gloomier brother.

Amajiki Tamaki wasn't at all social, usually hiding behind his more approachable friends. And when forced to introduce himself, he would first try to use anti-stage fright methods before trying to hide away when it failed. But as time passed, he began to escape his social anxiety and really open up to others.

Though when comparing him to Yusaku, Eri could see differences in their social capabilities. While Yusaku was fully capable of talking to others, he only chose to do so when it was necessary. And he doesn't mince his words either, being factual and straight to the point with his thoughts. Even going as far as providing three, sound reasons to back those thoughts up.

"If you call programming line after line of code a God given mission, then count me out. At least the guy keeps to himself, unlike some of our other classmates…" Kouta said before going into a grumble. Eri elbowed him a little, knowing exactly what those words will cause. And when the boy realized this, he sealed his mouth.

But looking over to Mirio, he knew it was too late. The young man was looking on with interest. His beady black eyes were piqued with interest. His brows wriggled as though it was a loose strand of spaghetti. The moment he opened his mouth, Eri mustered every ounce of killing intent in her body into her glare.

"Nii-san…"

"Sorry, sorry, but you two really have to make it harder for others. At this rate, you two might be pressured into something you're not ready for." Mirio said with a chuckle.

"You don't need to tell us, we have someone who acts as a reminder each time we see her." Kouta replied, head hanging low.

"Let me guess… Is it that girl from your class with hair over one eye?" Mirio asked. Eri and Kouta froze, their eyes piercing him. He could tell that the two had a question lumped in their throat. He just shrugged.

"I just guessed."

"That was too good of a guess… Mei's just the worse… She's strong and has a good heart deep, deep down… But she has no tact or any sense of personal space. Whatever perverse thought comes to her head, she voices it without hesitation. And this is AFTER Yaoyorozu-sensei threatened her with expulsion! I don't know if I could survive the rest of UA with her around…" Eri groaned, slowly sinking into her seat.

"Wow, this girl sounds crazy. And Nejire's been number one on my list for long time."

"Mei's a whole lot worse than that girl. It's like she's the devil, appearing when you least expect it…" Kouta replied as his eyes began scanning his surroundings. Eri was pretty much doing the same except in the other direction. Because it was everyone's break period, they knew that she would appear one way or another.

Mirio watched them observe their surroundings, munching on the last of his hot dog. Once he felt the oblong meat product hit his stomach, he clapped to get the two's attention.

"Well, nonsense withstanding, I have faith that you'll all become good friends by the end of the year. Sure it may get on your nerves, but you'll soon appreciate her unique sense of humor. Especially when we consider that there's a world class criminal on the loose." Mirio said with a smile. While Eri felt a little better, she could feel an awkward air hanging around them. And looking at her brother, she could tell that he didn't mean to let that slip.

"What's the word on that guy?" Kouta asked as he leaned in. Eri leaned in as well, fully aware that this kind of information was sensitive. With a sigh, Mirio leaned in too. This was mostly because he could trust the two to not say anything.

They may not be able to hide their relationship very well… But they can certainly keep terrible secrets close to their chest.

"Truthfully, Dastardly D and his cabal of crooks haven't made a move since they first appeared at USJ. We don't know where they are or what they're plotting. But we do know that they're looking to develop a market here in Japan." Mirio whispered.

"That's not a lot." Kouta commented.

"He's being smart Kouta, only the best Villains don't leave behind too many footprints. But it does make me worried about what could happen in the future…" Eri replied, eyes casting themselves down. Mirio reached over and petted her head, smile calm but vibrant.

"Don't you worry about that Eri, we'll handle it for you. Between the Top 19 and my SCRU crew, it's only a matter of time before this Dastardly D is brought down. And failing that, you two have Midioriya watching over you from up above. He'll make sure things will go your way. For you, your classmates, and your peers."

"Thanks Nii-san… I'm counting on you…" Eri replied, wiping at her eyes.

"But in return, make sure you do your best during the tournament. All of us are rooting for our favorite unicorn." Mirio continued, pulling back his hand.

"What about me?" Kouta asked as half a smirk formed. The young man looked at him and gave him an encouraging smile as well.

"Do I need to say it? Just get out there and show them that they're wash ups compared to you. Wring them dry!"

Eri began to let out a giggle at her brother's joke. And soon enough, Kouta and Mirio began following her lead. The air around them lightened, reflecting the beautiful weather. Even those passing by could smile at their levity, especially the unkempt looking stranger who took a moment to observe them.

All was right.

* * *

 **And that has been Chapter 23!** **A bit more relaxed this chapter, but to balance that, we have a fan favorite appearing for the first time.**

 **"Officer Togata Mirio has appeared!"**

 **Oh yes. But I'm sure you all have plenty of questions about his situation. And my only answer to that is... Wait for another fan fiction I plan on writing!**

 **"Don't hold your breath though, he's already putting another one of his projects on the wait list."**

 **It is unfortunately true... Between real life responsibilities, writing my original works, and writing my fan fiction, things are progressively getting more difficult. So I am required to put one story away so that I can concentrate my energy on the other tasks I have. But worry not, this story will still be seeing updates until further notice.**

 **"On your way out, please press F to pay respects to this story's fallen brother-in-arms."**

 **Any how, that's all I have for this week. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please leave it in the usual place and I'll get to it as soon as possible.**

 **"Because only you can stop bad Fan Fiction!"**

 **So with that said,**

 **Until Next Time. T1.**


	28. Chapter 24: Halftime Horse-a-Round Pt2

**I only own my OCs, everything else belongs to their respective creators.** **Warning, may contain Out of Character moments.**

* * *

Kazuku Mei was pretty much the Devil.

One with a Heroic heart mind you… But that could hardly hide her nefarious nature.

Now before anyone misunderstands, she's not malicious or looking to hurt anything. She's just looking for something to quell her boredom.

She was looking for something to take out of context. She was looking for signs of romance.

So here stood Mei, in a dark corridor far from any busy bodies, about to begin her hunt. She put on a UA baseball cap and snuggly strapped a small bag to her hip. And with extra batteries for her camera, Kazuku Mei was ready to deploy.

"Watch out UA Sports Festival, Operation Watchful Ghost is a go!"

"Kazuku-san, should we be concerned?"

Mei quickly faced the voice behind her as she hid her camera. And standing before her was her two class representatives, Takeo and Fuwa. The girl subtly began to back away, her gaze completely focused on the two. But the moment she tried to make a break for it, Takeo and Fuwa were able to grab her.

"You'll never take me alive!" Mei screamed as she thrashed against their hold.

"And I think we should take that as a yes… Class President Masaki, if you will." Fuwa said with a sigh, facing Takeo for help. The samurai nodded and plucked Mei's camera from her clutches. This thoroughly left the special eyed girl in distress.

"You can't do this to me man! I can't live without my camera! Ugh! I can already feel it happening… My soul's leaving this mortal coil… I'm about to pass on to the other side… Remember, you did this…" Mei said, her voice progressively getting weaker. She then keeled over, her face being the first to hit the ground. And there Mei lay, unmoving and unresponsive.

Takeo looked to Fuwa, who also looked to him. And by their completely unfazed expressions, they knew that this was one of Mei's attempts at theatrics. So after a moment of silence, the special eyed girl turned her head slightly to look at the two.

"No?"

"No." Takeo replied as he shook his head.

"Damn it… I thought you two would buy that." The girl said as she stood up.

"Kazuku-san, you're not a liar, but it's hard to believe you given the kind of nonsense you pull. And judging on how evasive you were with this camera… You were about to stir up trouble again weren't you?" Fuwa asked as she carefully inspected the camera.

"You guys couldn't be more wrong. I was going to use it for posterity's sake. You know, show my grandkids what went down this Sports Festival." Mei replied, her face going as blank as possible. Takeo narrowed his eyes at the girl, causing her two start sweating. By the looks of things, they didn't buy a single word of her nonsense.

"Yes, for posterity… Because I'm sure your grandchildren would enjoy watching you spy on your fellow students and misinterpret their interactions as something romantic. I mean, it is quite a fascinating subject." Takeo said with a sarcastic tone.

"Class Pres! I didn't think you were capable of being sarcastic! But yeah… You got me…" Mei replied before bowing her head in defeat.

"Kazuku-san, just spend this time relaxing or planning for the tournament. You don't need to waste your energy pursuing something that's not even a rumor yet." Fuwa said. Mei just turned around and began to shuffle away, her head still hanging low. She still managed to wave tiredly at them, showing how badly they crushed her spirits.

For a moment, Fuwa considered apologizing to Mei. But Takeo stopped her. He knew better, having trained with her. The special eyed girl was just waiting for the pity. Like a wounded tiger waiting for prey to come near it. So it was better to leave her be, causing Takeo and Fuwa to walk off and do their own thing.

They did, however, fail to notice Mei's devious smile as she ran off. The special eyed girl ran into the nearby cluster of trees and climbed up a tree marked with an eye. Perched on a branch, Mei reached into a hole carved out of the trunk and pulled out another camera. This one was more worn, but the resolution and fidelity was still good. Operation Watchful Ghost can still be salvaged…

"Hello, decedents of the Kazuku family, this is Kazuku Mei and I'm currently documenting any strange sightings present at UA's famous Sports Festival." Mei began narrating the moment she turned the camera on and began recording. She dropped down from the tree and immediately saw a familiar mop of rainbow hair sitting on a bench. Mei blinked, her sight zooming in on the person, noting that he was in an intense conversation with a grey skinned girl.

The special eyed girl's smile couldn't be wider as she crept closer, an excited whisper leaving her mouth. "And we've spotted our first set of victims… That over there is my classmate and extreme film nut Satsuei Eiga talking to my opponent for the Festival Tournament, Gin Haruka. What could they be talking about that's making them both look as happy as Larry? Could it be that movie man actually has a secret girlfriend? Let's find out…"

Mei, looking completely out of place to those looking at her, kept her body low as she slowly moved forward. By either sheer luck on her end or unwillingness to intervene on the onlooker's end, the girl approached interrupted. She stopped and quickly dove into some nearby shrubs as her targets turned around, their suspicions aroused.

She laid there, twigs jabbing every part of her body, waiting to see if she's been discovered. But unfortunately, the girl wasn't and the two went back to talking to one another. And given her proximity, Mei was able to hear and film them through the leaves. The only problem was that being stabbed in multiple places was, in fact, uncomfortable.

"I have placed myself in a terrible situation… But I shall prevail as all Heroes do. You know what they say, discomfort now for future gains." Mei narrated quietly before focusing back on her targets.

"You know, I still have that weird feeling like we're being watched…" Eiga commented as he checked behind him again. His eyes looked in Mei's direction a few times, yet he hasn't noticed the misshapen bit of shrubbery close to them.

"I think you're just tired Eiga. I mean, you binge watched all six acts of Gaijin Gangster on the night before the Festival. I know it's a great set… But was it really worth it?" Haruka asked, a small frown appearing on her face.

"That was unintentional. I happened to catch the end of Act Three and it got me in the mood to watch the whole saga. Its a few decades old, but the character writing still gives me the chills. But you have a point… Maybe I am just tired…" Eiga replied with yawn.

"Well at least you could relax; I still have to compete… Actually, speaking of which, could you tell me about Kazuku Mei? I shouldn't–"

"Oh God… Where do I even start with that girl…"

Mei would've dropped her jaw, but there were too many twigs stabbing her face to do so. That treasonous swine! After everything she's done for him, this is how he treats her? Still, the girl kept the camera on her targets, no wanting to miss any interaction.

"That bad?" Haruka asked.

"You know Tesla from that cartoon Science Gone Mad? She's like him except female and extrovert. And while Mei has a heart of gold deep down, I wish she would show it more. But every time she opens her mouth, it's something perverse. The only thing me and my class likes about her, is the fact that she really knows how to fight." Eiga said, pinching the bridge of his nose. Mei nodded, ignoring the twigs that dug deeper into her skin. All of that sounded about right. Maybe she should be nicer to everyone…

Nah. If she did that, then her moments of genuine kindness would have less impact.

"So I don't stand a chance." Haruka asked as her head drooped down.

"Not really. Based on what I saw during our training, you have a better chance than most. If you can grow some hard spikes around your body, then she can't get close easily." Eiga suggested, using gestures to get his point across.

"I see… Well I've got a few ideas what to turn into, tell me what you think." Haruka replied. Mei then noticed the girl began warping like clay, slowly being covered by the bench.. Mei had to switch her eyes to X-Ray just to catch a glimpse of what Haruka turned into. And to her surprise, there was, what appeared to be, a big, cartoonish, monochrome shiny chestnut next to Eiga.

"That's cute! But not exactly use–!" Eiga began. He never finished that thought as chestnut Haruka rolled into his side, pricking him in the same way the twigs did to Mei's face. The film nut jumped out of his seat as he ran off yelping, the girl still stuck to him. Mei quickly got out of the bush and chased them, feeling that there was more to that relationship.

Though that being said… She's been running for a while and the two are nowhere to be found. Mei blinked and went back to her scan mode, using her Quirk to look for traces of her classmate. Even if she can't see him directly, she should be able to see signs that Eiga's been through here. Some loose hairs flowing in the wind or a foot print with his shoe size should be able to tell her something.

"Though my prey escaped, I shall use my God given ability to hunt them down. This is a battle of wits and endurance…" Mei commentated as she continued to scan the crowds of people surrounding her. Her camera was suddenly plucked out of her hands by something above her. And looking up, she saw her camera tied to a monochrome rope that dangled out a shimmering, transparent shape in the air.

"I thought I sensed you hanging around us."

Mei raised an eyebrow as she watched the rope was coiled towards the shape as it set down onto the ground. The shape removed its transparency and the special eyed girl found Eiga staring at her with furrowed brows and a scowl. He proceeded to drop the rope next to him and its form began change. It quickly stretched out into the form of a girl, her finer bodily features and clothes appearing soon after. Finally, her UA jersey and hair bow regained their original colors.

And there stood Haruka Gin, looking equally displeased.

"Ohhh… So how you guys doing?" Mei said with half hearted confidence.

"Well I'd be a lot happier if I didn't have someone spying on me. Does this have to do with the tournament?" Haruka replied, hands placed firmly on her hips.

"No, she's probably taking things out of context and recording it for future reference." Eiga said with a sigh. Haruka looked over at Eiga as silence between the three took hold. And as it continued, the girl's normally pale face began to change to a pinkish color.

"H-Hold up! You can't honestly think–! I've only known this guy for less than two weeks!" She shouted taking a wide step away from Eiga. Mei's lips pulled into a smile as her classmate buried his face into his hands. Haruka's reaction was not helping her case.

"I think I'm starting to understand what Kouta and Eri go through… If we give we give you your camera back, will you leave us alone?" Eiga asked, lifting his head from his hands.

"Can't make promises I can't keep, especially when you two have such a big story to tell. So, how you two meet?" Mei asked as she leaned in.

Eiga and Haruka remained silent, only for the former to turn invisible again. The latter turned herself into a dog and ran off, using her mouth to carry Mei's camera. The special eyed girl stood there, her posture and expression completely unchanged. And it was only a few seconds after that she bothered to comment on what just occurred.

"And there goes my second camera…"

But despite that, there was still a spring in her step as Mei practically skipped to the bathroom. Her joy spurned on by what she's discovered. And entering her target location, she went to the garbage can and reached inside of it. And after scrounging around, she pulled out something wrapped up in plastic. Opening up, it was another camera.

"Okay… Last one, make it count. Be subtle about it…" Mei mumbled as she powered it on.

"Hey ladies and gents of the Kazuku family, it's your favorite ancestor Mei! After several encounters with sensible folks, I'm down to my last camera and SD. This is quite the pinch I'm in… But don't worry; I shall prevail in the name of all that's out of context! For now though, let's keep things at a normal level. Don't want this thing to leave my hands." Mei commented.

She left the bathroom and entered the stadium where other events were underway. And looking around, Mei saw that she was in the section where the Heroes were sitting. The girl slowly began smiling as she began to search the area for the Top 19 Heroes. To her luck, she spotted the ideal target for her game, the People's Champion Shouto.

"And here comes the number two Hero of my time. While Shouto may look like a cold asshole like his flaming piece of shit Dad Endeavor, he's very much the opposite. He's nice to his fans and participates in public events whenever he has time, even if he has the same expression 90 percent of the time. And unlike our Bane of Evil, Shouto doesn't try to blow up very annoying reporters." Mei commented as she approached the Hero.

Todoroki noticed the approaching girl and the camera she was holding. And though she didn't say anything yet, the two colored Hero could already tell what Mei wanted. "You must be the problem child Creati was talking about. I do hope you're not causing any trouble with that camera of yours."

"No sir, I'm just recording things for the future. So how about a word to our descendants? What do you think of this year's Sports Festival?" Mei lied. Todoroki stared at her, his eyes narrowing as though he intended to burn a hole through her head. And while Mei was no stranger to the feeling… There was something vastly different about the People Champion's glare.

But the man relented with a sigh, turning to the look upon the Sports Festival field that was now clearing up for the next event. "Sure, why not, I still have some time before my patrol starts."

"Watch you and your fellow students, it makes me recognize the place we Heroes started at. Not that any one of your performances were bad… But students tend to lack the professionalism that could only be gained through hours of Hero work. Take the second event, most of it was just a mad scramble to good vantage points." Todoroki said, turning back to Mei.

He then tried to use some kind of vague hand gesture to support his words. And as such, Mei only got some idea what he was talking about.

"Yeah, that was a pretty big shit show. But surely past all that chaos you saw something great? Like an overly acrobatic girl who kicked load of ass?" Mei asked, her words attempting to sway the Hero. The People's Champion once more stared at her with his flat expression, signifying that it didn't work. What made matters worse was the fact that Todoroki didn't catch her intention.

"Hmmm… No one specific comes to mind… But when I look deep into the chaos, it fills me with a unique kind of yearning. The 'in the moment' tension… The camaraderie… The breath of relief when you're able to move forward… I didn't experience any of that during my first Sports Festival, the only year where Deku was there with us." Todoroki said.

Mei then noticed how he began slipping into a state of remembrance. His brows didn't dip so low and a small smile was on his face. And while there was still an air of kingly grace surrounding him, the People's Champion never looked more vulnerable. It served to remind the girl that even the greatest of Heroes were still Human.

The Hero noticed how he was sounding and resolved himself again, though there was still a tinge of sadness in him. "Sorry, I didn't mean to sour the mood."

"Nah, it's cool. That Sports Festival with the One True Hero was a one of a kind moment, I understand if it brings out those bittersweet memories."

"It is bittersweet… But that day wasn't completely melodramatic for me. There was a degree of strangeness going on that caught my attention. For some reason, at halftime, all the girls in my class were dressed up as cheerleaders. I didn't really react then, but looking back… It was pretty funny, especially when some of them were getting in character." Todoroki said with a chuckle.

"That's incredible! Wish my year has something like that." Mei commented.

"Heads up listeners! Before we hold our famous UA Festival Tournament, I would like to present my personal pride and joy, the UA Music Club! So sit back, relax, and listen in on these First Year's amazing tunes!" Present Mic shouted. Those words alone caused Mei to look towards the field. And it was there she saw a rock band with Inori at its center. The singer gently grabbed the microphone as the guitarist began opening with string of strong riffs. But the moment Inori began singing and the whole band began playing, a wave of energy washed over the entire stadium.

Mei girl knew her classmate's voice had that sort of power… But hearing her perform with a band made it feel even more powerful. Energy surged through her as her ears were bombarded by powerful beats and lyrics sung with feeling. It made her feel alive.

"There's always something great going on… You just need the courage to turn away from your obsessions. So instead of using that camera for mischief… Why not record moments like these and remember how you feel about it." Todoroki said as he watched on, a smile forming on his face.

Mei would've said something had it not been for the excited screeching that came from the Top 19's seating. Looking over, there she saw her teacher being shook by Pulse Jack. And from her expression, Yaoyorozu was getting a little disorientated.

"Yao Momo! You need to get me their names!" She shouted.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I need to help out my friend." Todoroki said as he walked off.

Mei thought about what the People's Champion told her and began recording the mess her teacher was in. He did have a point after all. Sure filming people out of context brought great joy to Mei. But she could do that anytime.

Moments like the mess before her, however, was like a summer rain, one could never predict them. It is those moments that needed to be captured. Because even if she's a devil, Mei could appreciate a memory that everyone could smile at.

* * *

 **And that has been Chapter 24! Initially, this was meant to be a pure filler chapter. But after giving it much thought, I decided that I'll give some development to our crazy 1A degenerate.  
**

 **"I personally preferred the chaos she spreads. But this is good too."**

 **Just doing my job as a writer. But anyhow, I must once again thank Angelzilla for lending me use of her OC "Haruka Gin". Thinking about how she bounces off my characters was certainly an interesting challenge. And I'll continue to try and do her justice from here on out.**

 **"Even though your 1A will still take center stage..."**

 **Yeah... But every dog has his day. Anyway, I'm about to start an intensive course that will give me the ability to teach English as a Second Language. I will officially start class tomorrow, so wish me luck. And if you happen to be a teacher of some sort yourself, feel free to give me tips on what teaching is like.**

 **"I speak no england."**

 **Yes you do. But that is all I have for this update.**

 **"Tune in next time for our first battle in the fabled Tournament Arc!"**

 **So with that said...**

 **Until Next Time. T1.**


	29. Chapter 25: The West Wind

**I only own my OCs, everything else belongs to their respective creators.** **Warning, may contain Out of Character moments.**

* * *

Eri took a few deep breathes. It was time.

Growing up, she wondered about what it would be like to fight friends amidst a roaring crowd. She wondered if any Heroes take interest even if she didn't demonstrate her Quirk. She wondered if she could become champion with her current level of skill.

Eri didn't know the answer to any of these… The only thing she could do is move forward.

"Don't let her innocent looks fool you! This unicorn from the Department of Heroics has quite the kick! Introducing… Midoriya Eri!" Present Mic announced as the girl entered the field. And while the noise was deafening, she could hear two sections cheering especially hard for her. First, Eri looked to her left and saw the 1A seating area where most of her classmates were out of their seats and waving to her. And then she looked to her left, to see the Top 19 shouting towards her.

All this encouragement filled Eri with a renewed vigor. She'll do her best to not let them down.

"A stranger from a strange land, this young man from the Department of General Education now stands on biggest stage Japan can offer. Just what kind of surprises will he show us next!? Introducing, John Egbert!" Midnight announced. A modest cheer rang out through the stadium as the cheery Caucasian stepped out. And despite those cheers being obligatory at best, John didn't let that daunt him, with him energetically waving out to them.

Eri watched as he stepped atop the fight area, his blue eyes passionately shining behind his glasses. Honestly, it wasn't the kind of look she was expecting out of her opponent. Mostly because this was a serious event and every past Festival she watched had everyone look like they were going to war. Perhaps John had something different in mind going into this?

"Hello there! I'm John, let's have a good fight." The boy said in very stiff Japanese.

"Hello, I'm Eri. And you could speak English if you like, I understand it well enough." Eri replied, sensing the boy's struggle. The girl was also not joking with her words. Akko would sometimes slip into speaking English and it really impeded communications during Hero training. John shook his head and continued in stiff Japanese.

"Thanks, but if I'm going to survive in Anime Land, I need the practice."

"Contestants, the rules are simple. Fight until you can't or won't. And going out of bounds will results in your loss. Any tactic is permitted, but if you got too far… Well, you'll know it when it happens. Are you both ready?" Aizawa explained.

"Yes! And as my cousin says, 'put up your dukes and let's tussle'!" John answered entirely in English and puts up a comical fighting stance. Well so much for putting in the practice. Still, Eri couldn't help but let out a light laugh as she saw how silly he sounded. Regardless of her comedic foe, she got ready to raise her gun.

"I'm ready!"

"Then let's get this under way. Ready, begin!" Aizawa shouted.

And without a single pause, the one horned girl immediately fired a burst of rounds towards John. But despite this preemptive, John didn't even move as the match has begun. In fact, he didn't even flinch despite being shot at. The girl raised an eyebrow, absolutely sure that at least one of those rubbers bullets hit their mark.

Looking closely at her foe, Eri noticed that there were holes in John's jersey. And not moments later, steady trails of blue smoke began to leak out of those holes. The boy looked down at the damage and gave a frown. But his tone was anything but sad.

"Aw, I liked this shirt."

Eri just stared at him, asking various questions in her mind. But the most prominent being, was he taking this seriously? The one haired girl honestly couldn't tell. His attitude didn't feel like someone fighting to win, rather it was to entertain. But then there was his degree of control with his Quirk. To only make only his torso an intangible target and hide the fact he already activated his rather noticeable Quirk… That made John more formidable than your average General Education student.

"Okay, my turn!" He called out. John pulled back his arm and threw out a haymaker. But while it may not seem so threatening due to the fact he was too far away… The punch was a different story when the boy's arm began to turn to blue smoke as it came around. Eri had to quickly duck as it became long enough to reach her. And even when she ducked, the one horned girl felt a strong gust blow over her. Was that just from that haymaker alone?

"What a haymaker! I felt that from up here! Could this be a result of his Quirk!?" Present Mic commentated.

No kidding. Eri had to really to press into the ground to stop herself from losing balance. Though that was ultimately pointless as she saw John followed with an uppercut. And like his last attack, it just extended outwards from his body. With the fist quickly gliding towards her, Eri jumped to the side and fired a random burst in John's direction. It wasn't meant to hit anything, but it should keep her opponent's head down.

And it did just that, though it was a bit more literal than she was expecting. John, upon seeing Eri fire wildly at him, turned the rest of his body into that blue smoke. So her attack ended in failure… But she did gain the opportunity to see just how John's Quirk behaved when pushed. And looking at how the boy's empty jersey was being pulled around in a random direction, Eri had to make an assumption.

"Can… Can he even see?"

The one horned girl had to hold off from firing as she watched the smoke turn back into John. Only thing was, he was facing the wrong direction.

"Whoops, not that way." John said before turning back to Eri. No, he can't see at all. She began to raise her gun again, only to find a disembodied, headless upper body beginning an attack on her. The girl back instinctively stepped back and opened fire on the sudden intruder. It was here that she saw firsthand that the torso itself was smoke and her shots completely went through.

She stumbled away just before being hit with an uppercut. And upon recovery, she found disembodied set of legs charging her. Knowing her chances of outrunning something moves like the wind, she had to focus on blocking and dodging. And between dodging, she caught glimpses of John's head, floating around and observing the fight.

"What kind of nightmare am I watching? Being tagged team by a single person, Midoriya Eri has no opening to get a clean shot!" Midnight shouted. That comment caused something to snap inside the girl. She didn't put all those hours at the firing range just to be called a lousy shot. Eri decided it was time to put some more daring into her attacks.

The one horned girl charged through her opponent's disembodied upper body. And because the torso was just smoke, Eri pushed through with no resistance. John's eyebrows were raised as the girl fired at his head. His hair felt something blow past and that made him jumpy. John turned his head to smoke and it began to move away.

At this distance, Eri noticed how the blue smoke was carrying John's glasses. And with a quick glance back at the legs and torso behind her, which was starting to move towards its host, she quickly began running. She hardly thought of anything else as each step moved her forward. The John's glasses stopped moving and the smoke began to gather.

This was it.

She moved around the clump and saw John's face already formed. His eyes dilated as Eri punched him square in the nose. His face flew back, the smoke continuing to reform his head. But it was soon caught out of the air by John's body and planted it back where it belongs.

Albeit backwards.

To still be messing around despite taking a hit, John must be stubbornly optimistic. The boy proceeded to turn his head back around, his blue eyes giving off a more serious glare. It was as though he was finally grasping the magnitude of Eri's attitude towards this fight.

Still, Eri charged forward, having had a grasp on what John was capable of. She fired however many bullets were left in her gun towards John's body. And as she expected, all her shots only made more holes in his jersey. Despite this, the girl began charging John as the boy threw out some long range punches to intercept.

Eri's eyes had to focus on the incoming attacks, otherwise she would get hit. She also had to ensure her footing was secure; otherwise she would stumble from the strong gusts that followed. The girl removed the magazine from her gun and chucked it at John's head. His head turned to smoke, allowing the object to pass through.

But like last time, the smoke began to move away in a random direction with the body following closely behind. The one horned girl gave chase, following the glasses in the blue smoke.

"John needs to form his face first before doing anything, otherwise he can't see. I need to lock him in a loop so that he won't be able to attack. I got to lose my gun and ammo." Eri thought as she casted aide her gun. She also removed her tactical belt from her waist, lightening her body by a pound. It wasn't much, but every little bit helps in this battle of endurance.

The girl noticed the smoke gathering and she quickly stepped around, punching John once more. This time however, when his head was caught and reconnected to his body, the boy charged back at her. And without using his Quirk, John began throwing out unpracticed but strong punches. This change in pace forced Eri on the defensive, dodging and blocking all she could.

This didn't stop her from watching him. And as she continued to block and evade, Eri noted how there was no smoke coming from any of the holes in his jersey. This was the time to counterattack. All she need now was the right moment.

"Looks like it's become a no Quirk, no weapon brawl! Even then, look at those beautiful dodges and parries by Midoriya Eri!" Present Mic announced.

"I say, but that John isn't pulling any punches. Pick the wrong time to attack; she'll be eating the ground." Midnight added.

Eri paid no heed to the commentators as she was experiencing what they were reporting. Despite evading and redirecting John's attacks, they were starting to wear down on her. Her arms had a dull throb running through them. Her legs were starting to get sore. The only thing that kept her moving was her drive to impress everyone watching.

Her classmates. Her surrogate family. The Hero she looks up to.

All of them will know how much she has grown.

And her moment came. John threw a particularly sloppy straight towards her. Eri used to her left hand to redirect the fist and grasped her opponent's wrist. She then turned alongside his back and elbowed John's head. Following that, she moved back around to her opponent's front. Twisting his arm away, Eri landed a direct hit on John's chin with an uppercut. But things didn't stop there. The girl proceeded to quickly turn her back to him while he was still reeling, both hands gripping his arm.

With the momentum of her turn, she pulled John over her shoulders and threw him to the ground.

"John Egbert has been forced out of bounds! Midoriya Eri's the victor!" Aizawa shouted.

As the crowd around her cheered, Eri's awareness began to return to her. And the first thing she noticed was how close she was to the arena's boundaries. She was so focused that, had her defense continued, the girl would've stepped out of bounds herself. Though could anyone blame her for being pushed back like this? If she hadn't been concentrating on John, she might've actually been knocked out.

Speaking of which…

"Hey, that was a great fight. You're really good with your Quirk." Eri said as she looked at John. He proceeded to sit up and give off a proud but friendly smile.

"Thank you, I worked hard on that. You can't prank anyone with a half baked effort."

That's why; he just wanted to mess with everyone around him. Still, it was refreshing to see someone with a unique attitude towards their own Quirk. Where everyone either viewed their Quirk as Heroic or Villainous, John saw it as a means to extend his trickster attitude. He wanted to give the audience a show, make them watch in awe.

But despite that, Eri appreciated the fact he didn't hold back when the fight began picking up. John threw out his fists like he meant it. He didn't go easy on her just because she was a girl. It was as though he was like the wind. One moment, a gentle breeze anyone could enjoy… And in the next, a raging storm that tears through everything without exception.

"Hey… Uh, mind giving me a hand? I'm pretty tired from all that fighting." John asked with a slight laugh.

"Sure." Eri replied as she reached out to him. Even if she was exhausted herself, the girl couldn't leave someone on the cold, hard ground like this. But as Eri took his hand and leaned back to pull him up, she ended up flat on her butt. It took the one horned girl a moment to register what happened. She looked at the detached arm she was holding before looking towards John.

His amused smile and his other arm's thumbs up said it all. "Whoops, looks like I gave you one instead."

For some reason, Eri felt something drain within the depths of her mind.

* * *

 **And that has been Chapter 25! The inclusion of John Egbert of Homestuck was a weird conversation between my brother and I. This mostly happened when we were both discussing what kind of Quirk would various characters have should they be transplanted to the world of My Hero Academia. So here we are, introducing...  
**

 **John Egbert (Home Series: Homestuck), Quirk: Hurricane Body**

 **"Also, for you fellow Homestucks... YOU ARE HERE FOREVER."**

 **Yes, yes, we all know what happens when you get sucked into Homestuck. But anyway, how is the action? Because this arc focuses on the battle between students, I need to be able to flex my fight scene muscles to the fullest extent. The question is, how did I do?**

 **"I think it's alright."**

 **I'm aware, what do they, the audience think? So please, leave your questions, comments, and concerns in the usual place and I will answer them as soon as I can.**

 **"Because only you can stop bad fan fiction."**

 **In other news, I've finished my ESL Teacher training and am now looking for a job. And what better English teacher to have than a aspiring writer? So wish me luck on that front.**

 **"Here's to being a responsible adult!"**

 **With all that said... I will see you next update where we watch a ghost fight a malfunctioning refrigerator and a she devil fight a living cartoon.**

 **"And I promise this nerd will make the fight wacky and interesting."**

 **So...**

 **Until Next Time. T1.**


	30. Chapter 26: The Specter and the Devil

**I only own my OCs, everything else belongs to their respective creators.** **Warning, may contain Out of Character moments.**

* * *

"And here comes the victor of the last match. Eri, can you tell me how you're feeling right now?"

The one horned girl just stared at Mei, who was pointing a camera at her. Her mouth was hanging slightly agape as she tried to process why her classmate was doing this. As well as what she hopes to get out of this encounter. So her only hopes lay with her classmates, who no doubt had to put up with whatever nonsense this was. And luckily for her, Kouta came to her rescue with a simple answer.

"She's doing 'honest' recording of the festival for posterity's sake." He said. Kouta's voice, however, was still full of doubt. As it normally would since they were dealing with Mei after all. The special eyed girl playfully stuck her tongue at the boy before going back to Eri.

"But really though, how do you feel about that fight? That John guy really looked like he gave you trouble."

"Well he's certainly has better Quirk control than I was expecting from a General student. It kind of makes me wonder if America has looser Quirk regulations." Eri replied as she began making her way to the empty seat next to Kouta.

"I can assure you it's about the same." Takeo replied, looking over to his classmate. However, this only prompted a look of confusion amongst his classmates. How could he possibly know about the Quirk laws of another country he, as far as they know, have never been to? As such, the samurai began to elaborate on the matter.

"I have a friend from America. He answers all the strange questions I have about the Land of Opportunity."

"Well, the more you know. Hey, did Rei mention what she was going to do about her match? I've seen a bit of that Zero guy during King of the Hill and he doesn't look easy to take down." Eri asked.

"She has not. But I believe she will prevail over the great challenge before her." Kou replied, voice booming with his usual confidence.

"Not that she would have any problems. Two in one Quirks are hard to get right and most of the time it's an uncreative shit show." Ken said with a scoff.

"You take that back!"

The class' attention was immediately drawn to the sound of a high pitched screech of a voice. And upon laying eyes on the wall that separated their seats from Class 1B's, they saw Shintou Niji halfway over the wall. The rather alien looking boy then proceeded to clamber up the rest of the way and stood atop the slanted barrier. And despite the barrier not being that thick, Niji was able to balance on it perfectly, even when he was waving his arms angrily at them.

"Zero has best two in one! He zip zaps and ices fool like nobody's business! Apologize before Niji rewrites the concrete with your blood and stuff your innards with gizzards!"

"Gizzards?" Ina asked as she looked over to Ryo, fairly certain that it was some sort of food or ingredient.

"You know that pink thing that's part of a bird's stomach? That's the gizzard."

"Wait… Does that mean he's going to stuff our stomachs with stomachs?" Akko questioned as her eyes wandered to her gut. It was, but that's not what Eri was concerned with. The first part of Niji's threat had far more prevalence as she personally witnessed his absurd strength and speed. So if it hadn't been for the laws of the land, she had no doubt that they would all be paste by now. Meaning, it would probably be best if they didn't infuriate him any more than they've already done.

But before Eri could apologize on the behalf of her class, she noticed how Niji slowly began floating. And so did the screaming…

"What? No, no, no, no! Niji not done yet! Niji not done yet!" He screeched as he was slowly pulled down from the wall, disappearing from 1A's sight. Everyone just stared as the screaming over the wall continued. But as quickly as the noise started, it began to die out as something was calming Niji down. Before long, a loud but level response could be heard.

"Okay, Niji hunt for peanut."

"This guy's mood swings around more than turnstile…" Eri thought, a drop of sweat rolling down the side of her head. It was here that another person began to climb the partition, struggling somewhat as he peered his head over. He was a gentle looking fellow with bowl cut hair.

"Mob? What was all that about?" Akko asked.

"Shintou-kun kind of takes Monoma-sensei's ramblings a little too seriously… So please excuse his bouts of rage…"

Before anyone could respond to the boy's apology, Present Mic let out a rip roaring shout. It was no doubt time to start the next match. Quickly looking back to Mob, Takeo gave him a nod as his voice rose to overcome the noise of the stadium.

"It was our fault to begin with; we shouldn't have said anything so critical. I wish your classmate luck."

"You too, may the best Hero win." Mob replied with a smile before dropping down behind the barrier.

"That was something… But I guess that's what makes the Festival interesting." Kouta commented as he looked over at Eri.

"Yeah, and I wonder what's going to happen in this fight." Eri replied with a nod.

…

"Hey! Hey! Hey! I hope your blood's still pumping from the last fight because it's time for fight number two! On the field we have another Hero in Training from Class 1A. And even though we haven't seen her do anything worth noting before this match, maybe it'll be here that she bears her fangs. So give it up for Osoroshi Rei!" Present Mic announced.

Rei waved to the roaring crowd that surrounded her, ignoring the hammering of her own heart. The cause of this rattling rhythm was a mixture of excitement and anxiety. She was happy that she could stand upon it alongside the best students of her year… However, this was the first time she would be performing to a crowd larger than a classroom.

And that came with questions she never thought of.

"My Quirk's not going to cause some medical panic, is it? Or will I be instantly disqualified when I knock myself out? I guess Aizawa-sensei's here to say something about it…" Rei thought as she stared ahead at her opponent as he was introduced.

"And her opponent is an interesting one! With two Quirks in his hands, he gave a great show during the Obstacle race and the King of the Hill! With power like that, he could well be the next People's Champion! So watch this kid closely for he is 1B's Mishigane Zero!" Midnight announced.

The boy with the cross scar waved out before facing Rei with a determined glint in his eyes. Rei had to use all her will to not shutter as she knew he was stronger than her in straight up fight. But so long as she kept the nature of her abilities a secret, she would have an ace up her sleeve. Of course, that advantage isn't for her to decide on... The girl turned to Aizawa as he looked up to explain the rules once again.

"Like before, the match will go on until someone surrenders, is forced out of bounds, or is rendered unconscious. However, be aware that if I don't say anything, the match isn't considered over. Don't hold back, but don't aim to seriously hurt your opponent. Are you ready?"

"Yes." Rei said as she leaned forward and put her arms around her head. Okay, her advantage remains. Now she just needs to blitz Zero before he realizes what Aizawa really meant.

"I am." Zero replied as a cool mist poured from his left hand and electric sparks danced in his right.

"Then… Begin!" Aizawa shouted.

Rei felt her body become weightless, her ethereal form shedding its physical shell. And she began surging forward as her body fell to the ground with a thud. The spectral girl saw that Zero stopped an attack he was going to throw out; his eyes were wide with confusion. Rei then stopped in front of her opponent, waiting to strike as Zero looked to Aizawa.

"Sir? She passed out..."

"I can see that. But the fight continues." He said with a devious smirk. Rei shivered as she saw that it was aimed at her. The scraggly Hero was fully expecting her to exploit this situation for all its worth. And perhaps she should as there was no way she could regain this advantage past this point. So with that, she pulled her spectral arm back just as Zero began talking again.

"But sir, you just can't expect me to attack an uncon–!" He said before he was promptly interrupted by Rei's fist. While it wasn't as strong as a physical punch, it would still hurt if Rei put enough speed into it. And if there was one thing Rei knew, it was how to throw a good sucker punch.

Zero swung his left arm around, conjuring a short wall of ice in front of him, before leaping back. Rei's incorporeal form simply floated forward as her opponent scanned the field. And just when his brows were raised with greater confusion, she punched him again. And before he could recover from that first attack, she flew through him and grabbed the back of his jersey. From there she began dragging her opponent to the boundary line.

As fun as it was to play around with a confused person, it wasn't a good idea to prolong a battle against another Hero in Training.

Suddenly, Rei felt huge spike in resistance from Zero. And, just as quickly, she felt weightless once more. Quickly floating back, she found a wall of ice and her opponent's back against it. The spectral girl charged in to continue her attack but an inopportune shock through her body stopped that.

"What?" She thought as almost all attacks should go through her. That's when she saw Zero's left hand outstretched and aimed towards her physical body. There were bolts of electricity arcing between his fingers…

"This really leaves a bad taste in my mouth, attacking an unconscious person… But based on how the referee isn't doing anything… That means she's actually using her Quirk." Zero muttered as he removed himself from the ice wall. Rei began to pale as electricity began to gather in her opponent's hand, the jig was up.

She flew into his left arm before a bolt of electricity fired out, going wide of its intended target. Rei then proceeded to turn around and punch Zero once more. And as he stumbled from that attack, the girl grabbed his arm and began dragging him once more towards the boundaries once more. But like last time, a wall of ice grew to stop Zero from being thrown around. Losing her grip on him, Rei flew through the ice and tackled Zero again before he could throw another bolt of electricity at her body.

While the attacked missed, the bolt landed a little too close to her body for comfort.

"Hey Eraser! Shouldn't you be calling the match!? He's attacking an unconscious girl!" Present Mic shouted as the audience began to let out murmurs of dissatisfaction.

"This match is a little special as unconsciousness means nothing. Just look at how Mishigane is behaving, does that look like someone who has the advantage?" Aizawa replied, glaring up at the commentator's box. Rei kept flying around and hitting Zero over and over again, not giving him a chance to attack.

"I guess not…" Present Mic said as he shrunk in his seat.

"That's enough!" Zero shouted as he threw out a wave of ice towards Rei's physical body. The spectral girl quickly began flying towards her body, arms outstretched to grab her body as soon as possible. But the growing field of ice proved too quick for her and engulfed most of her body. A great chill gripped her spectral body, causing Rei to shiver and her skin to go numb.

"Should I continue the fight?" Rei thought as she tightly hugged her body. The action really wouldn't do anything as her real body was still iced, but it did give the illusion of warmth. And looking over at Zero, she could see that he too was shivering as the electric sparks in his right hand were growing weak. If she were to drag him out of bounds now, he wouldn't be able to fight back…

But it was really, really cold…

"Yeah, I'm not that stupid… I guess I did well enough…" Rei said before sneezing. The spectral girl proceeded to float back to her body and climbed back into her mortal shell. And soon enough, she found herself stuck in the ice.

"I give up! Can someone pry me out of this now?" Rei shouted.

"Osoroshi surrenders! The winner of this match is Mishigane Zero!" Aizawa announced. However, instead of roaring cheers, there was a simultaneous hum of mind tumbling confusion. And it was Midnight herself that helped voice those concerns.

"Why call it now and not then Eraser?"

"That's because the nature of Osoroshi's Quirk makes the unconsciousness victory condition impossible. If you could see what I could see, this fight could only end with a ring out or surrender. And now is that time." Aizawa explained as Medical bots rolled onto the scene.

"Man, Quirks are getting weirder and weirder… Anyway, let's give it for Mishigane Zero for winning this bizarre match up!" Present Mic shouted as the audience finally returned to its festive mood.

…

"Ah man, they got us good." Mei commented as she turned her camera to her classmates, all of them looking a little disappointed.

"I suppose once Osoroshi lost the element of surprise and her opponent overcame his apprehension over attacking an unconscious person, her defeat was but inevitable." Takeo commented as he rubbed his chin.

"Rei did give it her best though; did you see the way Zero was knocked around?" Eri replied.

"I'd hate to be the guy on the other end of that." Kouta said as he nodded in agreement.

"We should give our feedback once Osoroshi comes back; let her know what she needs to improve on." Yusaku said, speaking up for the first time in a while.

"You guys do that. As for me, I'll be off to kick names and take ass for team 1A. Wish me luck and make sure you get my good side." Mei said as she shoved her camera into Eri's hands. Ignoring the one horned girl's complaints, Mei proceeded to leave the 1A seating area and proceeded down the corridors of the stadium. She walked down the steps of the stairs, passing by that Niji kid who was holding a single peanut between his club arms.

And as much as she wanted to ask him on how he even picked it up, she had a match to win. Besides, it would save her the trouble of telling him that his classmate won and deal with the screeching 'I told you so'.

She continued to navigate the corridors until she reached the waiting room and found Rei waiting outside. The spectral girl heard Mei's footsteps and turned to face her. There was a small, apologetic smile upon her lips. They didn't say a single word to one another, but their eyes communicated all that needed to be said.

Good luck out there.

Rei proceeded to make her way back to the 1A seating area as Mei went into the waiting room. She approached to one of the many folding chairs and sat down on it. This was when the special eyed girl entered a contemplative state. Her head filled with relevant and irrelevant thoughts on the opponent she was about to take on.

"Gin Haruka… Based on what I saw before the tournament, the girl's a shape shifter of sorts. She can transform into anything that's not bigger than her and has some degree of control over those forms. If I'm not careful, this chick could hit me with something I won't get up from… What to do…"

And as she thought about what she knew, Mei's thoughts turned to what she saw during the break. The image of Haruka and Eiga engaging in casual conversation started to stir something in her devious soul. It was a feeling to utterly drive the poor girl to the edge of madness. And it only grew stronger as she transformed it into the spearhead of her battle strategy.

A wide grin spread across Mei's face like a plague, her mind falling to the disease called Trolling.

"God help that girl, because I know I won't." Mei thought as a mad cackle began to echo around the room. Today was going to be a good day.

…

"Here we go, 3rd Match! Are you excited? This time we have 1A's Kazuku Mei against 1C's Gin Haruka! Tell me Midnight, what do you think about this match up?" Present Mic announced before turning to his co-commentator.

"From what we saw from the King of the Hill battle, the outcome is up in the air. Gin is quite flexible with her Quirk but Kazuku's hand to hand skills are first rate. So it really comes down to what each sides' battle tactics are. But I do know is that this fight is going to be hot!"

Mei breathed in the open stadium air as the crowd roars around her. There was something about the atmosphere of standing in a vast space that's devoid of people that could get in the way. To be able to see your own shadow stretch across the ground without it getting tangled by someone else's. It was a feeling as good as a day full of opportunity. Speaking of which…

"I feel like we got off on the wrong foot before." Mei said as she faced her opponent. Gin Haruka didn't say anything to her. Instead, the girl was trying to bore a hole into Mei's skull with her eyes. And looking a little closer, the special eyed girl noticed there was a light dusting of pink on Haruka's cheeks. With an observation like that, Mei had to keep herself from giving off her usual expression of joy.

Good, she's still rattled from before.

"Aw, don't give me that look, I can't help if I take everything out of context. And if it helps, I target everyone indiscriminately." Mei continued.

"Yeah, I heard that from Eiga… And honestly, I thought he was over-reacting until I met you in person…" Haruka replied, stopping a great deal of irritation from infecting her voice.

"I get that a lot from people. But hey, let's let by-gones be by-gones and go into this fight without any grudges. We've got to loosen up to show our best and you'll only be slowing yourself down with that attitude." Mei replied with an easy smile. That was a lie if she ever heard one. If anything, that amount of vengeful focus was just enough to enhance one's fighting prowess without sending them into a blind rage. The special eyed girl needs to get her to relax more; otherwise her strategy will not be as effective.

And as her luck would have it, Haruka's expression began to soften.

"Yeah, keeping up the whole 'pissed off' routine is pretty tiring… But just so you know, I'm still going to beat you into the ground." The girl said as her shoulders began to lower and relax. Again, Mei had to suppress the urge to display a smirk and give away her true intent.

"And I would've left a scathing review all over 1C's dorms if you didn't. The thing would say 'here lives Gin Haruka, yellowiest belly in all of UA'!"

"Cute, but you should focus on the right now if you don't want to lose." Haruka said with a smirk. Good, her confidence is way up. As bad as it was to tear it all down, all was fair in love and war.

"Is there any need to repeat the rules? Are you both ready?" Aizawa asked, looking between the two girls.

"No sir, I think we know what's what." Mei said as she pulled the batons that were strapped to her thigh. Despite being nothing more than simple rods of hard plastic, they had real weight to them. And it felt nothing but right as the special eyed girl entered her fighting stance.

"Same, I'm ready." Haruka answered, getting into her fighting stance as well.

"If that's the case… Fight!"

Mei, with all the strength in her legs, dashed towards her opponent, guard still ready to defend. Haruka leapt back a step as her fingers lengthened as each finger tip turned into a small knot. And upon closer inspection, the textures of her fingers were that of braided leather. Haruka swung her hand around, causing her now whip like fingers to fly towards Mei.

The special eyed girl immediately went into a slide and pushed herself back onto her feet once she was clear of the attack. And as it turned out, Mei was well within striking range of her batons. She thrust out with her right baton, to which her opponent reacted by sidestepping it, before making a sweeping left kick to her opponent's head. Haruka ducked under the kick and immediately jumped back when Mei made a sweep with the same leg.

Upon gaining her balance, Haruka's left arm became spring like and she drove her fist forward. And as expected, the attack came out near instantaneously and would've caught Mei in the stomach had she not been ready for it. She dodged to the side and charged in again; swinging both her batons once she was in range. Due to the speed of her approach, Haruka couldn't dodge or block the attack.

However, what Mei wasn't expecting was how her rods just bounced off her opponent's head with an echoing clang. In the moment of stunned surprise, the special eyed girl saw how Haruka's hair was rigid and sloped. Almost like a helmet…

That observation proved to be short lived as Mei was launched away by a comically large fist. But before she could fly off too far, the special eyed girl felt something wrap around her body and was thrown directly into the ground. And so much force went into attack that the concrete cracked and kicked up plenty of dust.

"Whoa! What an attack! Even a Pro Hero like me would be straining to get up after that!" Present Mic shouted.

"Of course you would Mic, you're not exactly the pinnacle of physical might… But I agree, that's not an attack those with weedy bodies could take. Now, the question is, did Kazuku withstand that?" Midnight replied.

"Always asking the wrong questions… But I guess now's the time to use Tactic Flushed, knock her down a peg or twelve…" Mei thought as she got up from her pile of small rubble. She flexed her neck and shoulders, popping them as her eyes found Gin Haruka through the settling dust. Her opponent was back to her regular, monotone self, most likely conserving something about her Quirk that Mei doesn't know about.

No matter, it's not like she'll be able to use it effectively past this point.

"You're pretty good; I can see why Eiga's into you." Mei commented as she readied her fighting stance once more.

"That again? I told you, I'm not interested in him…" Haruka replied, tone and expression clearly betraying her words. And to further refute her statement, the girl turned her gaze away from Mei as a slight blush dusted her normally grey cheeks. Her stance was even starting to relax as the idea bounced around in her head.

"Really? Shame, I would've told you all sorts of neat things about him." Mei said, each word dancing off her tongue in a playful yet taunting manner.

"S-Save it! I don't need to hear squat from a crazy lady!" Haruka shouted before she charged forward. But despite the fact that her opponent was closing in and her arms morphed into swords, Mei couldn't be any more relaxed. For one thing, Haruka's movements were much more sluggish compared to before. For another, the blush on her face refused to leave. She was fully compromised.

So when Haruka was about to reach swinging range, Mei opened her mouth with a noticeably evil smile.

"Then you don't want to know about the seven inches of Heaven he's packing?"

Her opponent didn't break stride, but the expression on her face changed. Haruka's eyes were wider, her brows were higher, her jaw was lower, and her blush was redder. She swung her sword arms, a wide horizontal swipe from her left before spinning around for an upward slash from her right. But despite the speed of the attack, Mei saw that there was no weight put into it. As such, the girl didn't put any real effort into her dodges, merely leaning back and stepping aside.

The special eyed girl was facing Haruka's back, waiting for her to turn around. Her decision to not take advantage of this blind spot was because psychological damage was greater when one does it face to face. And unfortunately for her opponent, Haruka began to slowly but stiffly turn around to try and continue the fight.

If Mei was anyone else, she would've felt bad upon seeing the girl's flustered everything. But she was the Devil. And as such, could only laugh in the face of her misery.

"That's a nice face you're showing. With any luck, that could get Eiga's blood flowing to all the right places."

"W-What!?" Haruka squeaked. Her blush was starting to spread to the rest of her face, giving her a sunburned appearance. The poor girl skin was even starting to literally ripple from her trembling, possibly a result of her compromised mind influencing her Quirk. It was really a testament to how horrifically effective Mei's psychological warfare was.

"He's particularly weak to ladies who get easily wound up. Though Eiga's too much of a gent to do it himself, so it's up to me to help him understand what he wants. Who knows, this moment right here might be getting him to feel all hot and bothered." Mei said casually as she twirled the baton in her right hand around her fingers. Haruka's flush darkened by two shades, her voice failing her as she continuously choked on the words that tried to escape her throat.

"What was that? You want to know more? Well how could I turn down such enthusiasm to learn!? Alright, just so you know, you have Eiga's preferred–" Mei said mockingly.

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! I'm going to send you flying!" Haruka screamed. The horribly blushing girl clasped her hands together, almost like she was praying for mercy, and they began to fuse together into a ball like shape. She then proceeded to make a 360 turn, throwing her arms forward upon facing Mei's direction again. And what flew out was big spiked ball on a chain.

But like Haruka's swords, Mei saw that there was no heart put into it despite the speed. As a result, the special eyed girl just turned her body slightly, causing the attack to miss, before she charged straight towards her opponent. Haruka saw how quickly Mei was closing in on her and was about to leap back. That was until Mei's visible silver eyed shined, her gaze on the chain that was still in the air.

The links were quite big and just large enough for Mei's baton to fit through…

In a feat of reflex that would make Takeo proud, the special eyed girl halted her sprint and threaded her baton through one of the links. Haruka found her retreat halted by her own Quirk and could only watch as Mei pulled her in with much strength. There was then a kick the moment she was in Mei's range and went flying a meter or three to the side.

Mei rushed in as Haruka staggered to her feet, unwilling to give her opponent an inch now that she was sufficiently weakened. Her opponent shifted her UA jersey, and presumably her body beneath, into a spiny armor to dissuade Mei from her attack. But as Mei's silver eye shined again, the special eyed girl noticed that the spikes were actually really blunt.

So with that knowledge, Mei made several lightening fast blows with her batons. Left and right alternated between hitting the body and the head, with some aiming towards the legs. Haruka, with no opportunity to counterattack, began to shift more and more of her body into armor. All she could hope to do was guard and try to outlast the onslaught, waiting for the moment her opponent tires.

But even then, Mei could feel the integrity of each article through her attacks. A strike to the helmet causes it to make a dull, rattling noise. A blow to breast plate or arms made a neat little crater that only depressed further and further with consecutive hits. And each hit to the leggings very nearly made Haruka buckle under the stress. Really, what's keeping her from going down was the fact that Haruka was slowly backing away.

"Okay, time to end it before this chick gets any physical scars." Mei thought, noticing how close to the boundaries they were. She made a special attack that forced Haruka's guard open, leaving her body exposed. The special eyed girl jumped, raising her legs to chest level, and performed a drop kick. The force easily knocked Haruka off her feet and over the line.

"Gin Haruka is out of bounds! Kazuku Mei wins!" Aizawa announced. The crowds roared around Mei as she took this moment to regain her breath. She then basked in the glow of a deviously crafted victory. There was, after all, nothing more beautiful than watching someone devolve into a confused mess.

"Though I have suspicion I'm going to be lectured by the gang once I get back up there…" Mei thought. The special eyed girl decided to turn to her class' seating area and blinked, changing her eye to the gold colored zoom mode. And what she saw was as she expected.

There was harrowing disappointment etched into each one of her classmates' shadowed faces.

"Yep, I'm in trouble."

* * *

 **And that has been chapter 26! Not my best work, but it's something. And at the very least, it's good practice for writing action scenes.  
**

 **"Transitions between the action and spectator's dialogue could use work though."**

 **Yeah... Anyhow, I had a lot of fun writing Classic Mei and all of her deprave ways. It also got me thinking about one possible alteration to Mineta's characterization. Imagine this, Mineta was a completely normal student outside of battle. But the moment he enters a fight against someone, he cranks that degenerate dial to 11 and enacts perverted psychological warfare upon them. Basically Mei but canon.**

 **"Not going to stop the SJWs from shitting bricks about his behavior though."**

 **Maybe, maybe not. But let's get onto our other news before I forget. Once again, I thank** **Zero Mishigane Scarlet Strauss and angelzillah for getting a chance to use their OCs. Though I must apologize to the former for putting her character through the torment known as Kazuku Mei. Still, here is their official data as they've told me.  
**

 **Mishigane Zero , Quirk - Northern Storm, one half of his body generates ice while the other generates electricity. When overusing his ice half, his body temperature drops and his electric attacks becomes much weaker. When overusing his electric half, he becomes more receptive to all types of pain.  
**

 **Gin Haruka , Quirk - Squash n' Stretch, has the ability to stretch her entire body and shape shift into various things. However, over use results in her becoming 'off model', a state where Haruka has difficulty maintaining her form and transformations as intended.**

 **"How come you never did this for any of the other characters? Full Quirk description and all that?"**

 **I'm doing this on the fly, don't judge me. Any how, it was really fun thinking about how these character's utilize their Quirks and can't wait for the next opportunity to do so. Perhaps I'll make Zero do the 'unlimited power' thing and have Haruka fall on top of someone while looking like an anvil...**

 **"Cliche..."**

 **I know. But what did you guys think? Lots of things needed work, so please leave your questions, comments, and concerns in the reviews and I'll get to them when I can.**

 **"Stop bad writers and all that."**

 **Any way, that is all I have for you. I wish you luck on your endeavors and I will see you in the next update. So with that said...**

 **Until Next Time. T1.**

 **"Chao Chao."**


	31. Chapter 27: Cavitation

**I only own my OCs, everything else belongs to their respective creators.** **Warning, may contain Out of Character moments.**

* * *

He was just about to go through the passage that led to the field when he heard her. Kouta stopped in his tracks and turned to see Eri running down the hall towards him. Some part of him seized up, sensing the urgency in his friend's stride. And that usually didn't happen unless she had either bad news to tell or some critical information to share. So as a result, Kouta began to open his ears and paid close attention to Eri.

Not that he would ignore her for anything less.

"Kouta… Be careful…" She panted, catching her breath. While he would've been elated to know that Eri was this concerned about him, Kouta was more annoyed that was all she had to say. He wasn't the kind of person to forgo the side of caution to do some glory seeking. That was Kou's thing, not his. But Kouta still nodded to Eri as a token of appreciation for her efforts and began to walk off…

That was until she bludgeoned him with her next few words. And her hesitant delivery didn't make him feel any better about it. "I… I don't think you can win…"

He proceeded to stare at her, his dark eyes unwilling to break away from her crimson. And every time Kouta wanted to say something, he could only gasp as though the atmosphere has just evaporated. This was the first time that Eri flat out told him there was no chance for victory. No 'it'll be hard but you can do it' or 'I believe you can win', just a complete defeatist attitude. And it had to take much effort for Kouta to not display any discontent or frustration towards her.

There had to be a good reason for Eri to feel the way she did.

"W-Why would you say that? It's not like either of us knows what this Niji guy can do." Kouta said, barely managing to keep his voice calm and level. But Eri's response to his words wasn't what he expected. She pursed her lips and looked towards an arbitrary spot on the ground. And that was all he needed to come to his own conclusion. It also served to deepen his frustration, seeing that her faith in him was easily shaken.

"Okay… So what? Do you want me to throw in the towel? Save myself the pain and take the coward's way out?" He asked as his words took on a tone that dipped below freezing. That caused Eri to flinch, but her eyes still found their way to his now harsh looking face. And in those crimson orbs were a kind of resolve that refuses to give in to overwhelming circumstances. It was a stark contrast to the attitude she showed from before.

"I don't want you to give up the fight just because of what I said! I… I just want you to come out okay… You can fight as hard as you want, but just not so hard that you tear your body apart the way Deku nii-san did…"

The surge of energy dissipated, returning the girl back to her concerned, defeated state. She sighed and turned around before she began to walk off, having said her piece. Kouta didn't stop her on the account of his frustration, but it did sting to see her like that. And he knew it was he who caused it.

"Just get out in one piece…" Eri said over her shoulder before disappearing from his sight.

"Yeah, I will…" Kouta answered quietly. He knew she wouldn't hear him, but it felt like something he should say. Regardless, the boy knew he needed to give her an apology for acting the way he did. Eri went out of her way to say something; he should listen without questioning her intentions.

Anyhow, with this feeling in his chest, Kouta headed out to face his greatest challenge yet.

…

Or he would if this Niji guy would show up. There Kouta stood, staring at the passageway that his opponent was supposed to emerge from. And as the minutes passed, with the crowd getting more and more impatient, Aizawa looked over to Kouta and began to raise his hand. He was about to win by default.

Then everyone heard it, a screech that absolutely cut through the noise of the stadium. Kouta's eyes, having never left the passage, saw something in moving in the darkness. And it wasn't long before the shape came bursting out. One second was all it took for the blur to arrive on the fight stage itself, startling everyone watching. It was here that Kouta finally registered the alien appearance of his opponent, even if his shell was strangely blood red instead of rainbow.

"S-Shintou Niji of 1-B has arrived!" Present Mic announced, though no one in the audience cheered. They were too busy gawking at the feat the mantis shrimp achieved, which Midnight was able to vocalize.

"And what speed! I've never seen anyone come out onto the field so fast!"

"Shintou Niji, where were you?" Aizawa asked as he approached the student in question. Kouta observed as his opponent's shell began to turn from blood red to rainbow as he presented his club arms to the scraggly Hero. While that spawned a few questions on its own, it's what Niji said next that really got Kouta thinking.

"Niji busy hunting another peanut. This one. Hold it please."

And there, pinched between his two club arms, was a completely, perfectly normal, undamaged peanut.

"What the fuck?" Kouta thought as Aizawa, in complete resignation, took the lone nut and pocketed it. The Hero proceeded to return to his referee's platform and continued the event just as planned. Though Niji was far ahead of everyone else as he entered an orthodox boxing stance, his club arms tucked tight against his body. This caused Kouta to preemptively enter his battle stance, ready to wash away his opponent.

"You know the rules... Victory is yours if you can force your opponent out of bounds, get them to surrender, or render them unable to fight. Do not attack with the intent to seriously harm your opponent, you'll be disqualified. Do you both understand?" Aizawa said, reminding everyone. The tension was finally building up again as the crowd began to throw out their cheers. Who was going to win? What kind of tactics will they employ? How close will the fight be? Those were the questions that raged amongst the audience.

"I do."

"Niji understands."

"Then begin!" Aizawa shouted.

Niji darted forward and Kouta readied a counter attack the moment his opponent reached him, which would be very soon given his earlier speed. But upon looking again, he noticed that the mantis shrimp was significantly slower than before. Though that didn't stop Kouta from blasting Niji with a rush of water, seeing that he was still very fast.

But the strange thing was, Niji didn't even bother to dodge the attack. Instead, he was hit by the rush of water and was knocked onto his back a few feet away. Kouta, hands still aimed at his opponent, just stared at the slowly rising form before him, wondering what this guy was thinking. Niji's bulbous eyes twitched a little as he stared back, his body going back into his stance. However, the moment his body twitched, Kouta blasted him with another rush of water and washed Niji further away. Just two more times and his opponent would be over the edge.

"This is too easy…" Kouta thought, his focus on the mantis shrimp growing ever tighter. There was absolutely no way Niji was showing his true strength… Was this all to gauge him?

As if to answer that, Niji leapt back onto his feet and went back into his fighting stance. But there was something foreboding about this rainbow shelled fighter now. His eyes were now twitching nonstop all around before finally settling back on Kouta. The boy swallowed hard, sweat rolling down his face as Niji finally began to take another step forward.

Another geyser of water streamed forth from Kouta's hands, aiming to stop his progress. But unlike before, Niji just took one step to the left and continued to his run towards his enemy. Kouta shifted the steam towards Niji, only to find no one occupying that space. And upon looking again, he now saw that Niji was running along the other side of the stream.

"When did he get there?" Kouta thought, adjusting his attack. With incredible focus on him, the capped boy saw what his opponent did. Two barely visible punches stuck the stream, blowing a hole into it, before Niji used his speedy legs to weave through it. And doing it once more only confirmed that his opponent was indeed punching through his attacks.

"You linear." Niji said loudly, one arm pulled back as he entered Kouta's personal space. Kouta immediately aimed towards the ground and propelled himself back. Just in time too, as the punch nearly clipped his leg. And just from the air displacement alone, he knew he wouldn't remain standing if he took a hit like that.

But as he waited for his feet to touch the ground again, Kouta witnessed the true terror that was Shintou Niji. His eyes twitched and the mantis shrimp was in a mad sprint for Kouta's position. The capped boy tried firing a few bursts of water to deter his opponent, but only saw his opponent side step each easily. Kouta once more aimed his hands towards the ground and launched himself away from Niji's punch.

It was only after this happened three more times that Kouta realized that he was stuck. He was not only was he losing water, he cannot even stop running lest Niji catches up to him and pulverize his flesh and bone into hamburger. The capped boy still wanted to win, but he saw no chance to escape this position of constant pursuit. Was defeat the only option?

Suddenly, after whiffing his fifth attempt at hitting Kouta, Niji stopped in his tracks. The capped boy immediately saw that his opponent suddenly stopped and took advantage of it, sending bursts of water towards him. But instead of dodging them like before, the mantis shrimp punched each one that came to him, drenching his body once more in water. This caused Kouta to wait and see what happens next, allowing him to catch his breath for the moment.

That's when Niji's rainbow colored shell turned red…

"FACE NIJI YOU COWARD! AAAAAHHHHH!"

His knees lowered themselves, arms twitching slightly, before the concrete ground beneath him was converted into a rough gravel circle. Kouta's eyes widened as Niji did nothing to so overt to warrant such a drastic chance. But before he could ponder on what could have happened, something flew past his head. And looking ahead, the capped boy could see his opponent juggling several rocks through the air using his feet.

In all honesty, this made Niji look very silly as his shell returned to a rainbow color, making him look like a stubby clown playing hacky sack. Kouta, however, couldn't even humor the thought as those very rocks were being shot at him with surprising speed and accuracy. Each rock that came around his tucked arms was launched forward and his arms were constantly punching. Thus, Kouta was effectively facing a machine gun sling.

"Shit!" Kouta thought as he began jetting around again, completely hoping to avoid being stoned. He kept moving and moving, hoping to stay ahead of the rocks until the mantis shrimp inevitably ran out. But as the minute ticked by, the capped boy still found himself avoiding rocks, the intensity of which never let up. Several questions danced inside Kouta's head, his eyes looking at Niji, still belting juggling and punching rocks.

And then he saw why it never let up. Niji was actually slowly moving, breaking apart the ground as he went. Kouta saw how, for just a second, the mantis shrimp stopped to dip his knees and break up the ground in front of him before going back to his routine of rock bunting. And this was while there were still rocks in the air. It was all a crazy display of multi-tasking that would've been impossible without months, if not years, of training.

"I'm going to run out of water long before–!?" Kouta thought before finding having to twist himself away from a downward smash from Niji's club. He then blasted away from another punch coming from his side, shattering the ground he would've landed on. The capped boy saw that his opponent was no longer slinging rocks, went back to the punching.

Or so he thought.

"Niji not linear." Niji said loudly as he kicked up a chunk of concrete. The mantis shrimp proceeded to punch it, launching it towards Kouta. The boy evaded it with some more water, only to find his opponent was sprinting to directly intercept him. Once more, Kouta had to twist away from a downward smash and blast away from the hook that came after. But that did little to dissuade Niji, who repeated his new tactic and launched another rock towards Kouta. And once again, he dodged it with another burst of water.

Only this time, it wasn't as forceful as he thought it would be. That was when Kouta realized how dry his mouth felt and how the world was slowly starting to spin. Dehydration was now in effect.

"I'm done… I need to surrender before…?"

Kouta only now noticed that he hadn't landed on his feet. Instead, his body was moving upwards before gravity was pulling him back down. There was also a pain spreading throughout his abdomen. His eyes then caught Niji, who was just in front of him and began pulling his right arm back. Kouta could barely process his next real thought before Niji twitched and all went to black.

…

…

…

…

…

The first real thing he felt as his senses began to wake up was the soft warmth over his left hand. Then there was the voice that stirred his muffled hearing, their smooth and melodic cadence resonating deep within his dazed mind. His nose was then picking up hints of green apple shampoo amidst the scents of medication and sterile air. Finally, the fog that swallowed his vision began to part…

And the first thing he saw was this beautiful girl by sitting next to him. From her hair to her horn, there was nothing about this girl that didn't get his heart thundering. The emotion that poured forth from her ruby colored eyes, the elegance that emanated from the flow of her white hair, the way her light skin radiated, the gentle arc of her horn… There was no way someone this beautiful could be mortal. She was of another world.

"K… …re yo… …ay?" She said, her words not quite reaching him. Despite this, he decided to put everything he could to open his heart to her. And in turn, he hopes that she would the same.

"You're really hot… Wanna get hitched?" He asked with a slur. Okay, not the best thing to say, but it's the thought that counts… Right?

"D-Doctor! Is this normal!?" The girl said before turning to someone else in the room, her face a step away from going supernova. He rolled his head over to whoever she was looking at and saw someone wearing a white coat.

"Considering that Izumi here was dehydrated, concussed, and is on medication, he's just a little delirious. Let's give him a few minutes to regain his bearings before moving to more drastic conclusions."

Dehydration? Concussion? Medication? Those three words danced around his head as the boy proceeded to stare at the ceiling. It was only now that he began to remember what happened. His name is Izumi Kouta. He's participating in UA's famed Sports Festival with his classmates of 1A. He was fighting Shintou Niji until…

Oh.

He got knocked out and was brought to the medical office to get treated. Then Eri must've come in at some point because she was always worried about… Wait… Eri?

Kouta stiffened and his eyes slowly went to the girl that was still holding his hand. And it was here that dark met crimson, both of them unable to look away from one another. Silence surrounded them for the longest time, the blush on Eri's face reaching the point of no return. Then she spoke, read squeaked, her thoughts.

"H-Hitched?"

Kouta's cheeks, face, and the rest of his skin exploded… Just like his vocal cords… And his sanity.

So there he lay, soul dying from the sheer embarrassment of the situation. Despite this however, Kouta never took back the hand Eri was holding. In fact, he held her hand a little tighter. And given how she unconsciously reciprocated that gesture, it was a sign that, no matter what kind of nonsense tests it, their bond will not waver so easily.

* * *

 **And that has been Chapter 27!**

 **Well, again, still figuring out how to write all of this. But between this, my desire to write my original works, and real life responsibilities to attend to, things are getting difficult to wrap my head around. Which is why, starting this update, I'm going to have to put this story on hiatus.**

 **"Aw man, just when the embarrassment was getting good..."**

 **I know, and I take no joy in putting another story on the shelf. But I told myself that I want to write my original stories, so I must finally spread my wings and try to fly outside of this field. But one day, I'll return to this story and finished telling it.**

 **"Let's hope so, there's like several big events in the future that would rock their worlds."**

 **Yeah, Yeah... But, that is all I have for this update. Thank you for staying with me this far and I do hope that you'll return when I make the next update some time in the future.**

 **So with all that said...**

 **Until Next Time. T1.**


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